Varicose Vein Treatment

Varicose Veins Treatment

Varicose Veins Treatment can be done for both medical as well as cosmetic improvement in the legs. Laser treatments (also called EVLT or vein ablation), micro-surgery treatments and injection therapy, both standard vein sclerotherapy as well as foam sclerotherapy, are all used in the offices of the Schulman Vein and Laser Center and all on an outpatient basis. Unlike some hospital clinics or ‘vein centers’, all patients veins are treated personally by either of the Schulman doctors with no therapy done by assistants, students, residents, nurses or others just learning about vein solutions.

Laser Treatment of Varicose Veins

Laser treatment for varicose veins is an outstanding advancement in vein therapy. It is sometimes also know as EVLT, Endo Venous Laser Treatment, laser ablation, or ELVES, Endo Laser Vein System.It has only been widely used for about ten years but it has replaced old-fashioned vein stripping and ligation surgery. Its done in our office using only local anesthesia (anesthesia put into the leg only in the area of the varicose vein being lasered) and patients are awake and talking to us during the laser therapy. Using only needles so we leave no scars, a very thin laser fiber is inserted via a needle into the vein to be treated (you don’t feel the laser inside the vein, just like you don’t feel food after it’s swallowed). This is done using ultrasound guidance to visualize the laser fiber and position it correctly. The goal of laser vein treatment is to shut the veins that have broken or faulty vein valves and are therefore allowing blood to flow in the wrong direction-back downhill within the leg veins rather then back to the heart.The varicose vein laser treatment takes about a half an hour and the leg is then wrapped in an ace bandage type of cast. You can walk out of the office right afterwards and even drive yourself home (even if the right leg vein has been treated).All our patients are given the personal cell phone number of Dr. Schulman and called that evening and the next day to see that they are doing well and to answer any questions you might have.The endovenous laser therapy patients are seen about one or two weeks later to check the progress using a Doppler ultrasound.

Varicose Vein Treatment by Injections

Varicose Vein Treatment injection therapy is also a very successful treatment for enlarged veins. In sclerotherapy, the medical name for injection treatment, various vein medication solutions or liquid chemical agents are injected directly into the veins. They act to cause the varicose vein walls to be come irritated and scar shut onto themselves. The injections are virtually painless as the smallest needles manufactured are used. The injection sites are covered with a small cotton pad and secured in place with surgical tape. Sometimes there are additional ace bandage like soft cast wraps put onto the legs, and they are extremely easy to remove later at home.Some varicose vein doctors use support hose to help hold the bandages in place. At the Schulman Vein and Laser Center, we don’t like them right after vein treatment for two reasons. Just as support hose squeeze inward they are elastic so they can also expand. Our goal is to apply a strong pressure onto the treated leg veins and therefore don’t want the elastic wrap. We also don’t feel its right to add to a patient’s bill by selling them the support hose.Worldwide, most treatment for varicose veins and spider veins is done with injection therapy showing it’s been a long standing and proven vein therapy solution. It is also all outpatient and does not require any anesthesia. The medications the doctors use have all been FDA approved for many decades and have no reaction to or effect on any other medications you may be taking.

Foam Sclerotherapy (foam injections) for Leg Veins

The use of foam sclerotherapy is one of the advances in the treatment of varicose and spider veins. The same FDA approved vein treatment solutions used in conventional sclerotherapy, are mixed with air or carbon dioxide to create a foam like texture. It is not unlike the consistency of shaving cream. In theory the use of foam helps to spread the medicine inside the varicose vein. The foam texture is of very short duration, which is beneficial and prevents its spread into healthy veins. As with all vein injection therapy, the medications only act very locally and have no negative long term effects. It has been reported in the medical literature to have some potential side effects such as coughing, chest pain, headache and nausea but we have fortunately not witnessed them.

Micro Surgery for Varicose Veins

Old school varicose vein stripping and ligation is no longer used in vein treatment-thank god !! In addition to using laser treatments and injection therapy, micro-surgery called ambulatory phlebectomy is a treatment option.In ambulatory phlebectomy procedures, small incisions are made along the varicose veins to be removed. The veins are then ‘fished out’ of the leg and the incisions are closed. It is all done with local anesthesia and you are able to walk out of the office right afterwards. As with the laser vein treatment patients, the Schulman Vein and Laser Center staff or Dr. Schulman himself will follow up with you the evening of your procedure. You will also be given Dr. Schulman’s personal cell phone number should you have any questions or concerns.Click here to view some of our Varicose Veins before and after treatment photos

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