Vascular Care Center of Salt Lake VEIN CLOSURE Vericose veins

In most people with large varicose veins and many people with spider veins, the underlying problem is leaking valves in the major vein of the superficial vein system of the legs, the saphenous vein. This allows blood to flow backwards in the veins when you stand, causing the bulges, the pain and the inflammation. Unless this problem is found and addressed, the treatment of the visible problem will be temporary or futile. You may know someone who had some vein treatment in the past and the veins came right back.

In the past, treatment of this problem consisted of “stripping” of the saphenous vein, that is, surgical removal. While this operation was effective, it was very painful and required general anesthesia and a hospital operating room.

Now, treatment of this problem can be accomplished as an outpatient in our JCAHO approved operating room next to our office. We use one of two devices to heat the saphenous vein and close it, that is, prevent it from allowing blood to flow backwards in the vein. For veins smaller than 1.5 cm in diameter, the device that uses microwaves to heat the vein (this is known as the VNUS procedure) works well and is less painful than a laser. However, for veins larger than that size, the radiofrequency device sometimes fails and we use a laser. Use of the laser is associated with slightly more pain in inflammation in the immediate post operative period, but the increased heat does assure a successful closure.

So we use the VNUS device when we can and the laser when we have to! This is the best approach to assure success with minimal painful side effects.