Our comprehensive, minimally invasive approach includes endovenous laser treatment (ELT) and sclerotherapy. Our refined use of sclerotherapy, combined with ELT, allows us to meet the needs of our patients by treating the smallest spider vein to the largest ropelike varicose vein.
The great news is that neither option requires hospitalization or surgery. Instead, each is performed in a physician's office. The patient can be back on his or her feet doing their day-to-day activities the same day.
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What is ELT?
Endovenous laser treatment (ELT, or sometimes referred to as EVLT) is a quick, minimally invasive laser treatment that requires no hospitalization and no complicated surgery.
The entire procedure, from start to finish, takes about an hour and there is very little to no pain. Another advantage of treating varicose veins with endovenous laser treatment is that most insurance plans and Medicare cover it.
How does it work?
With ELT, a small optic fiber is inserted through a needle into the varicose vein under ultrasound guidance. The laser is activated and, as the optic fiber is removed from the vein, it heats and closes the vein. Once the vein is closed, the blood that was circulating through the vein is naturally re-routed to other healthy veins. Over time, the closed vein is absorbed by the body.
It's important to understand that ELT cannot treat veins that are too small, too twisted, or too close to the surface of the skin. This means the average ELT patient will require sclerotherapy in conjunction with ELT to treat the smaller veins.
During sclerotherapy a solution is injected into your varicose or spider veins. This causes the vein to seal off from the other veins in your leg. The vein closes down over time and is eventually absorbed into your body.
For larger varicose veins our physicians utilize ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy. The ultrasound provides a live view of your veins, ensuring the physician is injecting the sclerosant into the precise location for the best treatment results.
For spider veins and other small veins closer to the skin's surface, ultrasound guidance is usually not necessary. In these cases, our physicians and nurses can effectively treat these veins with sclerotherapy. A typical treatment session may last for 15 to 20 minutes and will consist of microinjections.
Once the vein is closed, the blood that was circulating through the abnormal vein is naturally rerouted to other healthy veins. Over time, the treated vein is absorbed by the body. Normal blood flow is then rerouted to healthy veins.
VCA primarily uses two solutions during sclerotherapy: Sodium Tetradecyl Sulphate (STS) and Asclera. Both of these solutions are FDA approved for use during sclerotherapy for the treatment of veins in the legs. During your consultation our physician will discuss these with you and determine the best for your specific condition.
