1. Sclerotherapy: Most Popular Spider Veins Treatment
The most popular spider veins treatment at our vein treatment center in Jericho is sclerotherapy. This quick and gentle procedure involves a vein doctor injecting a sclerosing solution into your unhealthy vein with a tiny needle. The sclerosant might be liquid, foam, or pre-mixed foam, depending on the size and severity of your vein damage. Small, superficial spider veins often require just a liquid sclerosant injected right at the surface to resolve their visibility. Larger veins, like varicose veins, and veins deeper in the leg might respond better to foam concentrations of the sclerosant, since foam can fill a larger vein without increasing the medicine’s dosage. All forms of sclerotherapy are minimally invasive and don’t require anesthesia or a lengthy appointment.
2. Varithena: Pre-Mixed Foam Varicose Vein Treatment
Varithena is a pre-mixed foam version of sclerotherapy that’s a popular choice for varicose vein treatment. Foam coats the walls of a vein more thoroughly and has more volume, so it can treat a large and twisted vein better than liquid sclerosants which become diluted in larger veins. Sclerosants can be agitated by the veins specialist to create a foam, and then injected into your vein. But occasionally, this results in an air embolism travelling through the vein. Pre-mixing the foam has distinct advantages for both the doctor and the patient. Varithena is pre-mixed with ideal concentrations of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to prevent embolisms and to expedite the medicine through your vein before the foam deactivates. Varithena arrives at the vein center in a sealed canister, prepped for injection. The vein specialists at our Jericho vein treatment center are highly trained in this effective solution for varicose veins.
3. Radiofrequency Ablation: Thermal Energy for Veins
Another excellent choice for varicose veins, as well as vein disease, is radiofrequency ablation. This method uses thermal energy to heat a defective vein, which causes it to shrink and scar shut. Radiofrequency’s heat comes from sound waves that are directed at the vein’s walls. This causes the vein to close around the tiny catheter that delivers the radiofrequency. The surrounding area is protected with an injection of tumescent anesthesia, so that only the problematic vein absorbs the heat. Once the vein is closed, blood starts flowing in a different direction, since the spider vein or varicose vein is no longer viable. The useless vein is then harmlessly reabsorbed by the body, so that you don’t have to see or feel it anymore. Once the problem is resolved, patients experience relief from chronic venous insufficiency symptoms like swelling, discomfort, heaviness, cramps, and restless legs.
4. Endovenous Laser Treatment: Alternative to RFA
Some vein centers in Jericho use endovenous laser ablation, rather than radiofrequency ablation. This method is similar to RFA, in that it uses thermal energy to destroy a defective vein. However, with this procedure, lasers derive their heat from light, instead of sound waves. Rather than thickening and collapsing, as with RFA, lasers cause the vein to clot or occlude and block the flow of blood. While some doctors prefer this method, or are only trained in endovenous laser, versus radiofrequency ablation, our vein specialists prefer RFA, because it’s more comfortable to our patients. Endovenous laser devices have more variable heat than RFA catheters, so they can cause more lingering pain and bruising than RFA.
5. VenaSeal: Vein Adhesive to Prevent Vein Surgery
In addition to thermal ablation of veins, many patients love the option to seal off diseased veins with an adhesive. VenaSeal is a medical-grade cyanoacrylate glue that was designed to close defective venous pathways, alleviating spider veins and varicose veins. Cyanoacrylate glue has been used for decades in vascular procedures and to stop bleeding. Now, this newer vein technique enables doctors to treat veins without thermal energy or tumescent anesthesia, for patients who are sensitive to that. It causes less bruising and swelling, and can spread into surrounding veins for patients with multiple unhealthy pathways. The adhesive is directed into the vein through a tiny catheter so the vein glues itself shut, rerouting blood to viable veins that can carry it to the heart.
6. ClariVein: Dual Method for Spider Veins and Varicose Veins
ClariVein is a procedure that uses two strategies to treat spider veins and varicose veins, both of which are applied with the same device. The ClariVein catheter rotates against the vein’s walls and also secretes a sclerosant into the vein. Doing so traumatizes the vein physically and chemically for a thorough approach to closing the vein. This specialty catheter is small enough to treat twisted varicose veins, although it can be a bit uncomfortable passing through some of the vein’s valves. It’s a good alternative for patients who have an issue with tumescent anesthesia or vein adhesives, particularly if their insurance covers this procedure.
7. Ambulatory Phlebectomy: Surgery for Certain Patients
A reputable vein treatment center in Jericho considers vein surgery last in the list of treatment options. Newer, less invasive tactics are typically safer and more appropriate for the majority of patients. However, some patients require vein removal, if their veins are too large or contain too many blood clots to be treated endovenously. In this case, our vascular surgeon can perform an ambulatory phlebectomy, which is typically an outpatient surgery that allows you to be mobile shortly afterward. The surgery is performed through open incisions that allow the vascular surgeon to access the vein and extract it from the body. It’s important to choose a board certified vein doctor for this procedure, since they need to investigate connecting veins, blood clots, and your medical history before an ambulatory phlebectomy.
Book an Appointment at Our Vein Center to Learn More!
Want to learn more about treating spider veins and varicose veins? Book an appointment at our Jericho vein treatment center today! Our board certified vein specialists are trained in the latest techniques and love explaining the options to our patients. It’s our great privilege to find the perfect solution for you and deliver stunning results! Trust our award-winning medical group for complete relief of your vein issues.