Spider Vein Treatments
Milford Vascular Institute specializes in the treatment of small varicose and spider veins.
Weeding the Garden Analogy:
Long term treatment of varicose veins is similar to managing a garden. In a garden, we first spend a lot of time removing the large weeds. Often, once the larger weeds have been removed, we see smaller weeds that were not apparent in the beginning. We then take the time to remove even the smallest weeds so that they do not grow larger in time. If we ignore the small weeds, they will grow into large weeds and we will have to start all over again.
This is why we spend so much time in follow up performing ultrasound exams to find those small veins that were not apparent in the beginning. You may need injections of veins that you do not even see on the surface but that we can see on ultrasound. If we ignore these veins and wait for them to become visible, then we may need to start all over with larger procedures.
This is why it is important to continue to follow up with ultrasound exams on a regular basis even if your legs feel and look great. Consider it maintenance of your garden to keep it looking healthy and beautiful!
FOAM vs Visual Sclerotherapy:
A week after the venous ablation procedure, an ultrasound is done to assess the results of the procedure and to see if any smaller veins are present that could lead to recurrence of the insufficiency. If left untreated, these veins can enlarge over time and lead to a recurrence of the symptoms. Therefore, we recommend that these veins be treated immediately to ensure a long-lasting result. The treatment for these veins is called foam sclerotherapy. The veins are identified with ultrasound and a tiny needle is inserted into the vein. Medication is injected to the vein. The medication causes the veins to shrivel up and be absorbed by the body. This procedure is quick and relatively painless. Multiple sessions may be required if multiple veins are discovered on ultrasound.
The final step of the process is to address the spider veins visualized on the skin. This procedure is called visual sclerotherapy. During this procedure each individual vein is punctured with a tiny needle and medication is injected into the veins causing them to disappear. Initially there may be some redness as the veins naturally become inflamed in the process of resolving. Multiple sessions may be required.
What to expect following the treatment & after care instructions:
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