Rank the Options for Spider and Varicose Vein Treatment.

What Is Endovenous Ablation?

Endovenous ablation addresses the malfunction of faulty valves by eliminating damaged veins. Our vein doctors in NJ state use thermal energy to destroy the unhealthy veins that are subjected to excess pressure, thereby preventing the offshoot of spider veins and formation of varicose veins. By eradicating the broken valves, blood is able to move in the proper direction for improved circulation.

How Does Endovenous Ablation Work?

This safer and more effective alternative to vein surgery was introduced over a decade ago and is now a first line of treatment for reputable vein centers. It outperforms vein stripping surgery on most fronts, particularly the patient experience. Stripping involves a painful ripping of the vein from the body and often requires general anesthesia, whereas ablation simply requires a gentle numbing of the skin’s surface and a swift and gentle injection. Your vein specialist inserts a tiny device into the damaged vein and also surrounds it with a protective numbing fluid that safeguards both the vein and surrounding tissue. The device is then activated, emitting gentle heat via high intensity sound waves to the vein walls. This heat prompts the vein walls to close. No longer vital, the vein is absorbed by the body. Ablation helps redirect blood to the healthy veins capable of carrying it back to the heart. This innovative procedure is complete in under 30 minutes, allowing you to resume work and other obligations. The doctors at our New Jersey Vein Center in Paramus and Clifton are proficient in multiple types of endovenous ablation, including radiofrequency therapy and laser therapy. The main difference in these treatments is how the device generates heat (light vs. sound waves). Talk to our vein experts about the right ablation procedure for you. We’re happy to explain the differences as we’ve performed hundreds of endovenous ablation procedures since the method’s invention.

Cons

Vein centers have access to several devices, and the technology continues to change. It’s important to choose a board-certified doctor who’s sufficiently trained on the tools they’ll be using. Inquire about your vein doctor’s background and number of procedures performed before you agree to ablation. This procedure requires tumescent anesthesia injections to surround the vein and prevent discomfort. Radiofrequency ablation is safe and painless when performed by a competent doctor, but a less experienced provider might invoke unnecessary pain and multiple injections.

Is Endovenous Ablation a Good Option for You?

Most patients are well suited to endovenous ablation and find that their insurance covers the procedure. New Jersey Vein Center favors radiofrequency ablation over laser therapy, since it tends to be more comfortable for patients. If you’re looking to relieve venous insufficiency or unsightly veins, endovenous ablation is likely a good fit for you.

What Is VenaSeal?

Recently introduced by Medtronic, an innovative scientific company, this new procedure makes use of cyanoacrylate glue to seal off unhealthy veins. While it’s new to spider and varicose vein treatment, this sealant has long been used in other vascular medical procedures with a proven safety record.

How Does VenaSeal Work?

This newer treatment utilizes ultrasound technology to pinpoint damaged veins. After numbing the entry point on your skin, your vein doctor will direct a small catheter into the offending vein. With ultrasound guidance, the physician places the tip of the catheter in the desired location and gradually injects the cyanoacrylate glue through the catheter into the vein. The result is the vein essentially gluing itself together, thereby redirecting blood into healthy veins.

Cons

VenaSeal is newer than most vein treatments, so the future impact on patients is somewhat unclear. Allergic reaction is possible in some patients. Others aren’t comfortable with the idea of the glue permanently residing in their bodies. Check with our vein centers in New Jersey to see if your insurance will cover VenaSeal, since it’s still a new procedure.

Is VenaSeal a Good Option for You?

Patients who have already treated their vein disease are good candidates for VenaSeal. A comprehensive allergy assessment by your doctor is important before using VenaSeal. Our insurance specialists will determine your coverage prior to VenaSeal treatment, since some carriers don’t cover it yet.

What Is Sclerotherapy?

With sclerotherapy, doctors inject a sclerosant, or irritant, into the damaged vein to provoke its collapse. As a result, the vein shrinks fades and becomes less visible.

How Does Sclerotherapy Work?

Either guided by ultrasound or by visual exam, your vein doctor locates the unhealthy vein. With a small needle, the vein doctor injects a sclerosant solution into the vein via a numbed entry point on your skin. There are several medicinal sclerosants, including the oldest one, a salt-water solution called hypertonic saline. But newer sclerotherapy uses gentler solutions that are less painful. If the vein is located at the surface, your doctor can inject it unassisted. If the vein is a bit deeper, they’ll use ultrasound guidance to deliver the medicine precisely to the vein. This irritant causes the vein to collapse, eliminating the problem area.

Cons

Since there are several sclerotherapy solutions available to providers, results vary. Each sclerosant has certain benefits and drawbacks, making the chosen medication and physician crucial components of success. Since many sclerotherapy solutions require proper dilution, choosing an uncertified vein center subjects you to the potential of incorrect dosing. The wrong dose can cause pain, as well as discolored skin. If the practitioner mistakenly injects an artery, rather than the vein, necrosis can develop. Choose the qualified team at New Jersey Vein Center to avoid these risks.

Is Sclerotherapy a Good Option for You?

If the appearance of spider veins, rather than venous insufficiency, is your top concern, sclerotherapy is a good choice for you. If you aren’t a good candidate for RF ablation or VenaSeal, sclerotherapy is also a great option.

What is Foam Sclerotherapy?

Foam sclerotherapy replaces the liquid of traditional sclerotherapy with a bubbly solution to close unhealthy veins. Since most sclerosants are essentially detergents, they can be agitated to foam up. Doing so allows vein doctors to fill the vein more fully using less medication. Foam keeps the dosage low and is also easier to track on the ultrasound, assisting your doctor in the procedure.

The Procedure

By examining your skin, or if needed, using ultrasound guidance, your vein doctor finds the problematic vein and numbs the skin above it. Your doctor will then mix a sclerotherapy solution by combining the medication with air rapidly via two syringes. This ensures the foam has the optimal freshness and consistency to perform its duty. Following injection, your doctor uses the ultrasound to observe the foam’s activity in your vein.

Cons

Foam sclerosants are adept at moving throughout veins, which means they can travel into deeper veins when applied incorrectly. Always choose a qualified doctor to prevent medicine from spreading into deeper, healthy veins. Our vein doctors in New Jersey will always assess the intricate venous connections in your legs before administering foam sclerotherapy.

Is Foam Sclerotherapy a Good Option for Me?

If you have reticular veins or small varicose veins that are bothersome, foam sclerotherapy will improve your appearance. Foam sclerotherapy is also used to treat the underlying insufficiency that causes those veins and is effective for veins that have been treated before.

What Is Pre-Mixed Foam Sclerotherapy?

This newer technique is an advanced type of foam therapy that utilizes prepared foam that’s stored in a sealed canister. Some cases of air embolism with traditional foam therapy were linked to an improper combination of room air with the sclerosant. This created an embolism that travelled via veins to the lungs, hindering the oxygenation and transportation of blood. With pre-mixed solutions, the sclerosant is mixed with high concentrations of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to facilitate rapid transit and prompt deactivation. This makes pre-mixed foam arguably safer and more successful.

How Is Pre-Mixed Foam Sclerotherapy Performed?

A vein doctor identifies the troubled vein by skin exam or with ultrasound assistance, similar to other types of sclerotherapy. They will then inject the pre-mixed foam into your vein at the surface of the skin, or with ultrasound guidance for veins deeper below the surface. Rather than agitating the solution, as doctors do with foam sclerotherapy, doctors administer the pre-mixed foam that’s already primed for injection.

Cons

Pre-mixed foam sclerotherapy is potent and requires a vein expert trained in the procedure. Insurance won’t always cover this procedure, so check with our vein center in NJ state to determine out-of-pocket costs.

Is Pre-Mixed Foam a Good Option for Me?

Our vein centers can determine if your insurance plan covers this procedure. Pre-mixed foam sclerotherapy is an excellent alternative to surgery, and is often less expensive, even without coverage. It’s very effective for even the most damaged veins.

What Is ClariVein?

A rotating catheter is used to mechanically traumatize the interior lining of vein walls and deliver a sclerosant medication to the walls. This dual approach triggers the closure of diseased veins.

How Is ClariVein Performed?

After gently cleaning and numbing the injection site, your vein doctor uses ultrasound technology to direct the catheter to the appropriate vein. Once inserted, the ClariVein begins to rotate, damaging the vein’s walls while also secreting the sclerotherapy solution. The ultrasound assists in guiding the catheter throughout the vein for thorough dissolution of the problematic vein.

Cons

Most insurance providers don’t cover ClariVein yet. Some patients experience discomfort if a doctor has difficulty moving the catheter past valves in the vein.

Is ClariVein Right for Me?

Patients who are allergic to the lidocaine in tumescent anesthesia should choose ClariVein over endovenous ablation. In addition, patients who don’t want the implant involved in VenaSeal might prefer ClariVein. Results and insurance coverage for this procedure vary, so ask our vein specialists in NJ state any questions you may have.

What Is Vein Stripping?

Surgeons will typically access the vein through an open incision. They will then use a variety of surgical tools, such as hooks, to remove the damaged vein.

How Is Vein Stripping Performed?

Identifying the diseased vein usually requires an ultrasound, particularly if the vein is deeper in the leg. The patient is then anesthetized and sent to the operating room, where the physician cuts down to the vein through layers of skin. Once the doctor sees the vein, they use tools, like hooks, to forcibly pull the vein from the body.

Cons

Several less-invasive procedures produce fewer complications and are proven to be safer and more effective than surgery. Qualified vein doctors now avoid surgery whenever possible, viewing it as a last resort.

Is Vein Surgery Right for Me?

Surgery is no longer a first line of treatment and should only be used when all other treatments have failed. However, some patients with blood clots or extremely tortuous veins might still benefit from vein surgery.