20- to 25 million Americans have varicose veins, most commonly in the legs and feet. That's because we stand and walk upright, which increases the pressure in the veins in our lower body.
"In the past," explained full-time SCRMC general surgeon, Dr. Claudio Nunes, "the primary treatment for varicose veins was to remove, or "strip," the problem veins through a series of very small punctures or incisions." This technique typically results in significant bruising, and can cause post-surgical pain, nerve damage, and poor short-term cosmetic results.
VNUS Closure is a clinically proven, minimally invasive procedure that treats varicose veins and their underlying cause, venous reflux, with little or no pain. "Closure patients can walk away from the procedure and are back to routine activities - either at home or at work - typically within a day," said Nunes.
With this procedure, Nunes, uses a very small catheter and radio-wave energy to seal the leg's problem vein. To do this, he makes a single small incision near the knee and inserts a slender catheter into the vein. Once the catheter is correctly positioned, it is "energized" and slowly withdrawn, sealing the vein shut. There are no stitches, and most patients return to normal activity within a day or two.
1. Patients receiving the VNUS Closure procedure consistently experienced less post-surgery pain, and returned to normal activities and work faster than patients whose veins were "stripped." [ Journal of Vascular Surgery ]
2. 90-plus percent of patients said that treated veins remained reflux-free and had a significant lessening of limb pain, fatigue, and swelling.
3. 98% of patients said they would recommend the Closure procedure to a friend with similar vein problems.
For more information on the VNUS Closure procedure , call the St. Croix Falls Clinic or go to: http://www.VNUS.com/
For many people, spider veins--a common, mild form of varicose veins--are primarily a cosmetic concern, and from a medical standpoint, they seldom cause any harm or damage.
Treatment for spider veins doesn't require a hospital stay or cause a long, uncomfortable recovery. "Less invasive techniques such as sclerotherapy, generally allow spider veins to be dealt with on an outpatient basis," said Dr. Claudio Nunes, SCRMC general surgeon, who provides sclerotherapy at the Medical Center's St. Croix Falls Clinic . This procedure, while not usually covered by insurance, is reasonably priced.
Sclerotherapy is a long-proven procedure that has been in use since the 1930s. "In this procedure," Nunes explained, "a very fine needle is used to inject spider veins with a solution that scars and closes them. Within a few weeks, treated veins have generally faded." The number of veins injected in one session varies, depending on the size and location of the veins, and the general medical condition of the patient.
Although the same vein may need to be injected more than once, sclerotherapy is quite effective, doesn't require anesthesia, and can be done in a doctor's office. In general, improvement in cosmetic results can take a couple months, with larger veins responding in three to four months. Once spider veins respond to the treatment, they will not reappear.
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