Venous Ablation
Restoring Healthy Blood Flow To Veins Without Surgery
Arteries and Veins
Arteries carry oxygen and nutrients away from the heart to the body’s tissues and organs. Healthy veins carry oxygen-poor blood from the tissues back to the heart and lungs.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) can occur when the leg veins don’t allow blood to flow back up to the heart. Normally, healthy leg veins keep blood flowing back up to your heart. CVI damages those valves, causing blood to pool in the legs, increasing pressure and creating further problems like swelling and ulcers.
Common symptoms in the lower legs include:
- Dull aching, cramping or heaviness in the legs
- Leg swelling
- Pain that worsens when standing and improves when legs are elevated
- Restlessness
- Tingling
- Itching
- Skin texture or color changes
- Visible varicose veins on the surface
- Ulcers
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 2.5 million adults have CVI.
Many factors contribute to CVI, including:
- Age
- Gender
- Family history of CVI
- Multiple pregnancies
- Obesity
- Sedentary lifestyle
Venous Ablation
Radiofrequency venous ablation is used to treat CVI, the underlying cause of varicose veins and other symptoms. The benefits of the proven technology of venous ablation include:
- Minimally invasive
- Done as an outpatient procedure
- Relieves painful symptoms
- Smaller catheter entry site
- Performed under local anesthesia
- Minimal to no discomfort
What to expect during venous ablation procedure
Provider inserts a small catheter into the damaged/diseased vein.
Catheter delivers radiofrequency, causing the diseased vein to shrink and close.
As the catheter is slowly withdrawn, it delivers heat to treat the entire damaged/diseased vein.
Upon completion of ablation, blood flow will naturally reroute to nearby healthy veins. The provider will apply a bandage and may recommend a compression stocking to assist with healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long is the procedure?
A: Depending on the treatment area, the procedure can take approximately 45 minutes to one hour. However, patients will be asked to arrive early for pre-treatment procedures and will need time to recover post-treatment.
Q: How quickly will symptoms improve after treatment?
A: Most patients will notice a difference within the first 24 hours. Symptoms may continue to improve one to two weeks after the procedure.
Q: After treatment, how quickly can I return to normal activities?
A: Patients treated with venous ablation can resume normal activities within a few days of the procedure. For a few weeks post-treatment, your provider may recommend a regular walking regimen and suggest refraining from strenuous activities (heavy lifting, for example) or prolonged periods of standing.
Q: Is venous ablation covered by insurance?
A: Most insurance plans provide partial or full coverage for most vein conditions. Office personnel can help determine if insurance will cover the procedure should you be a candidate for it. A referral from your primary care physician is not required
Patient Story
Discovery leads to a life- and limb-changing treatmentJanMichael Schulist, 74, was expecting to discuss her heart health during a regular checkup with Chanaka Wickramasinghe, MD, a Board Certified... more
