Varicose Veins FAQ
What are the risks of leaving varicose veins untreated?
Dilated or varicose veins commonly produce symptoms of leg discomfort, aching and swelling and place you at risk for blood clots which can form in your legs veins. Superficial vein blood clots are quite painful and take a number of weeks to resolve. Blood clots in deep veins of the leg pose a more serious health risk. Skin breakdown may occur with more advanced venous disease.
Where are the procedures performed & how long do they take?
All of the vein treatments are performed in a Capitol Vein & Laser Center office. Each location is a state of the art facility with specialized treatment rooms, vascular testing and all equipment necessary to safely perform required procedures. The VNUS Closure procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. You can expect to be at our office for typically one hour due to normal pre and post treatment measures. Microphlebectomy procedure generally lasts about 30 minutes as well.
Is the Closure procedure painful?
Patients report feeling little, if any discomfort during the Closure procedure. We use a local anesthetic (lidocaine) to numb the treatment area. This anesthetic is delivered through injections and involves a brief “stick & burn” at the site before becoming numb.
When can I return to normal activities?
Most patients resume normal activities immediately following the procedure. Some even return to work the same day. We encourage you to walk and be active, while refraining from exercise and heavy lifting for three days.
Is there scarring, bruising or swelling after the Closure procedure?
Patients report minimal to no scarring, bruising or swelling following the Closure procedure.
How soon after treatment will my symptoms improve?
Most patients notice improvement in symptoms within 1–2 weeks. Some patients may require microphlebectomy or sclerotherapy for any remaining visible veins.
What are the risks of the Closure procedure?
As with any medical intervention, potential risks do exist. Fortunately, associated complications are extremely rare. Your physician will review these with you during your office visits and answer any questions you may have. It is important to us that you completely understand any procedure before we proceed.
Will all my varicose veins disappear after the Closure procedure?
The bulging varicose veins that you can visualize under the skin are coming from a vein deeper in your leg that has venous reflux (leaking valves). Vein treatments are done in steps, first treating the source (insufficient vein with reflux) via VNUS Closure, and then evaluating the response of the varicose branches. Some varicose veins will regress completely with compression following the Closure procedure. Others however have been enlarged for so long that they have lost the elasticity & capability to regress completely. In this case, a treatment called microphlebectomy can be done comfortably in the office to eliminate unhealthy, unsightly veins that remain.
