Varicose veins are enlarged veins that are swollen and raised above the surface of the skin. They can be dark purple or blue, and look twisted and bulging.

At Deborah Heart and Lung Center, several varicose vein treatment options are available, including:

• Radiofrequency ablation
• Sclerotherapy
• Phlebectomy
• Venous stasis ulcer treatment

How does it work?

• Radiofrequency Ablation – The Venefit™ closure procedure is a minimally invasive treatment alternative with less pain and less bruising compared to traditional vein stripping surgery and laser treatment. Using the Closure system, physicians close the diseased veins by inserting the catheter into a vein and heating the vein wall using temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy. Heating the vein wall causes collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close. After the vein is sealed shut, blood then naturally reroutes to healthy veins.
• Sclerotherapy – During sclerotherapy, a chemical is injection into varicose veins. The chemical irritates and scars the veins from the inside out so the abnormal veins can then no longer fill with blood. Blood that would normally return to the heart through these veins returns to the heart through other veins. The patient’s body will eventually absorb the veins that received the injection.
• Phlebectomies – Phlebectomy is a minimally-invasive procedure used to remove varicose veins on the surface of the leg. Phlebectomy involves making tiny punctures or incisions in the skin near the varicose vein. Veins are very collapsible and even large veins can be removed through the tiny incisions used in this technique.
• Venous Stasis Ulcer Treatment – These ulcers are common in patients who have a history of leg swelling, varicose veins, or a history of blood clots in either the superficial or the deep veins of the legs. Venous ulcers are treated with compression of the leg to minimize edema or swelling. The Venefit™ closure procedure is also used for selected patients with venous stasis ulcers. The type of treatment prescribed is determined by our specialists based on the characteristics of the ulcer.