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The Brigham and Women's Vein and Vascular Centers offer a broad spectrum of therapies for symptomatic and asymptomatic venous disease. Some therapies treat surface varicose veins and some therapies treat veins under the surface where the problem originates. Your treatment plan may include a combination of these treatments to obtain the best results.
To eliminate major varicose veins at their source, closure of the saphenous vein(s) is often necessary. For qualified patients, the BWH VCC offers several types of nonsurgical treatment for saphenous vein closure and correction of major varicose veins. These minimally invasive procedures are FDA-approved and performed in the office setting under local anesthesia. They are quick and painless, take about 1 hour to do, and help you feel and look better fast. You will be able to walk, drive and return to work immediately after these procedures. Once the problem veins are closed off, the blood reroutes through normal veins and flows more efficiently. While all these treatments are effective, the best treatment depends upon the pattern and severity of your vein problem. You physician will help you understand the specifics of your case and choose the best treatment.
Therapies offered at our vein centers for treatment of major varicose veins include:
Endovenous thermal ablation safe and effective procedure that closes the saphenous vein using heat applied to the inside of the saphenous vein. Under ultrasound guidance, the heating element is placed inside the vein and heat is delivered to the inside of the vein causing permanent closure. In our centers, the heating element used is a laser, and the procedure is also known as Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT©).
Adhesive vein closure (Venaseal™) is a procedure that uses injection of an FDA-approved medical adhesive to safely close veins. Small amounts of the adhesive is injected directly into the target vein through a special delivery system, and gentle pressure is applied to seal the vein.
Chemical foam ablation (Venaseal™) is a procedure that uses injection of a medical sclerotherapy foam to close the saphenous and other veins. The foam fills the targeted diseased segment of vein causes the vein to contract as wells causing injury to the lining of the vein which promotes permanent closure. The foam then de-activates and blood flow shifts from the malfunctioning vein to healthier veins nearby.
Not all varicose veins require saphenous ablation as part of the treatment. These smaller surface veins can cause discomfort or may be simply visually bothersome. Simple and safe treatments for these types of veins offered at our centers include:
Sclerotherapy is an established treatment for medically symptomatic surface veins as well as cosmetically bothersome veins including spider veins. A sclerotherapy solution is injected through a needle into the target vein. The lining of the vein is damaged causing the vein to close. Each vein may require several injections and most varicose veins treated this way disappear within a few weeks to two months. Add sclerotherapy diagram
A micro-extraction procedure, ambulatory phlebectomy allows for the removal of large surface varicosities through incisions as small as 1-2 mm that require no stitches and leave minimal-to-no scars. Phlebectomy is done under local anesthesia and excellent cosmetic results can be achieved.
The deep veins are the major draining veins of the leg. A clot in these veins is called a Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT. DVT can cause severe leg swelling, pain and risk of migration of clot to the lungs. Have you had a DVT and still have leg swelling, pain, skin inflammation or an ulcer? The vein specialists at the BWH VCC can help. They are trained in the latest techniques to treat and remove acute DVT, and to re-open and improve veins damaged by DVT in the past. If you think you may have symptoms from new or chronic DVT, come for a consultation with a vein specialist who will help determine the current state of your veins and what treatments may help.
Endovenous thermal ablation of saphenous vein for varicose vein treatment
Sclerotherapy of spider veins
Phlebectomy of varicose veins
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