Treatment Options
Treatment for venous disease includes a full spectrum of modalities ranging from medical therapy to surgical therapy. Fortunately, minimally invasive surgical
therapy implemented for venous problems of the lower extremities can be done in the office, as an outpatient with local anesthesia and very little, if any,
“downtime.”
The goals of treating varicose veins may include easing symptoms, avoiding complications, and improving cosmetic appearance. Although treatment can
target existing varicose veins, it can’t keep new veins from forming.
Medical treatment is a common option for the treatment of varicose veins.
These measures include the following:
- Avoid excess standing
- When sitting, elevate your legs above the level of the heart
- Exercise gets the legs moving and improves muscle tone. This will facilitate venous circulation.
- Weight loss will alleviate pressure on the veins.
- Avoid wearing tight clothing especially around the waist and upper thighs.
- Don’t sit with your legs crossed. This position can aggravate the problem.
- Compression stockings - elastic stockings that squeeze your veins and stop excess blood from flowing backward.
At The Vein Center of Sarasota we have a full selection of compression hose in stock. We also have trained professionals that will expertly fit your stockings.
If you do not respond to medical therapy, there are a variety of minimally invasive in office procedures that are available to treat varicose
veins as well as spider veins.
Treatment of Spider Veins
Spider veins are treated with sclerotherapy. This involves injection of a sclerosant into the spider veins
using a tiny needle. This results in damage to the inside lining of the veins, thereby causing
fibrosis, closure, and eventual disappearance. Two to four treatments are usually required
to achieve the desired result, and Dr. Schiro always tells patients that the legs will look worse before they look better.
The treatment sessions are usually spaced six to eight weeks apart. To optimize treatment,
wearing compression stockings for 72 hours after each treatment is recommended.
Treatment of Varicose Veins
Patients who present with large ropy varicose veins usually have an incompetent or “leaky” vein as diagnosed on duplex ultrasound. If this is the case, the
leaky vein can be ablated by either endovenous laser ablation or radiofrequency closure using the VNUS system. These methods have been a huge breakthrough and have essentially
replaced the more painful vein stripping operations that require general or spinal anesthesia and hospitalization. The newer ablation procedures are minimally invasive and can be done as an
outpatient under local anesthesia at The Vein Center of Sarasota.
To accomplish this, Dr. Schiro, through a needle stick, places a flexible tube called a catheter into the “leaky” vein. There are tiny electrodes at the tip of the catheter that emit either
laser or radiofrequency energy that heat the walls of the vein. As the catheter is pulled out of the vein, the energy destroys the inside of the
vein and causes it to collapse and seal shut. Eventually the body causes the vein to disappear.
| RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION | LASER ABLATION |
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About 80% of patients will still have visible varicose veins after undergoing laser ablation or radiofrequency closure.
For this reason, Dr. Schiro performs simultaneous ambulatory phlebectomy, in which veins are removed through tiny incisions that are barely visible once healed.
Joseph C. Schiro M.D., F.A.C.S
1762 Hawthorne Street, Suite 4
Sarasota, FL 34239
Tel: 941-364-VEIN (8346)
Fax: 941-955-2916
EMail: info@veincenterofsarasota.com
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Serving Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Northport and Lakewood Ranch
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