Plaza Vein Center Provides Successful Treatments for Varicose Veins, Leg Pain
Southeast Missouri Hospital’s Plaza Vein Center can provide the solution to leg pain and varicose veins. The center’s experienced cardiac and vascular surgeons – Randy G. Brown, MD, FACS, and William R.M. Ogle, MD – discuss the topic in this Q and A.
Q. What is the venous system?
A. It is a network of veins including those close to the surface of the skin, larger veins located deep in the leg and veins that connect the two together.
Q. What is venous reflux disease?
A. Healthy leg veins contain valves that open and close to assist the return of blood back to the heart. Venous reflux disease develops when the valves that keep blood flowing out of the legs and back to the heart become damaged or diseased. As a result, the valves don’t close properly leading to symptoms of varicose veins, pain, swollen limbs, leg heaviness and fatigue, and skin changes and skin ulcers.
Q. What factors contribute to venous reflux disease?
A. Age, gender, family history, multiple pregnancies, obesity and jobs that require you to stand on your feet a lot.
Q. Is there a minimally invasive procedure to address venous reflux disease in veins located near the surface of the skin?
A. Yes. The latest medical treatment is the VNUS Closure® procedure which is performed on an outpatient basis.
Q. How is the procedure done?
A. Using ultrasound, Drs. Brown and Ogle will put a special catheter into the diseased vein through a small opening in the skin. The tiny catheter, powered by radio-frequency energy, heats the vein wall. That prompts the vein wall to shrink and the vein is sealed closed. Once it is closed, the blood is rerouted to other healthy veins. Following the procedure, a simple bandage is placed over the insertion site and additional compression may be provided to aid healing.
Q. Is the closure procedure painful?
A. Patients report feeling little, if any, pain during and after the procedure.
Q. How quickly can I resume normal activity?
A. Patients walk immediately after the procedure and typically resume normal activities within one day.
Q. How soon will my symptoms improve?
A. Many patients notice immediate relief of symptoms such as pain, leg heaviness and fatigue. The full benefits of the procedure may take one to two weeks.
Q. Is there any scarring, bruising or swelling after the procedure?
A. Patients report minimal to no scarring, bruising or swelling.
Q. How is the Closure procedure different form vein stripping?
A. In vein stripping, incisions are made in the groin and calf and stripper tool is threaded through the diseased vein to pull the vein out of the leg. With the endovenous ablation procedure, only a small incision is made at the insertion site and the vein is then closed and left in place. This Closure procedure results in less pain and bruising.
Q. Is the procedure covered by health insurance?
A. Most major health insurers cover the Closure procedure.
Q. Does the Plaza Vein Center also employ other treatments?
A. Yes. The Vein Center also offers spider vein sclerotherapy and minimally invasive vein stripping. With sclerotherapy, a solution (generally a salt solution) is injected directly into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to swell and stick together, and the blood to clot. Over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue which fades from view. With minimally invasive vein stripping, a special device is used that allows large veins to be stripped through much smaller incisions and much less traumatically than previous techniques.
To learn more, call the Plaza Vein Center at (573) 331-7850.