Call (636)614-1665
Call (636)614-1665
Today’s options for varicose vein treatment in St. Louis is so much better than they used to be. The only option for those with varicose veins used to be vein stripping.
Now we have endovenous ablation, sclerotherapy, and more varicose vein treatments to treat veins.
Vein stripping is a painful procedure still performed today. Veins that are re-fluxing are surgically treated, cut and tied off. Vein stripping surgery meant general anesthesia, a surgical incision in the pelvis, and excision of the vein. It was and is an inconvenient and painful varicose vein treatment. Side effects could be tissue trauma, scarring, or damage to nerves. This varicose vein surgery also meant facing the risks of general anesthesia and possible post-surgical infection. Downtime was considerable, with a week of bed rest recommended after the varicose vein surgery and pain requiring prescriptions.
Now: Improved Varicose Vein Treatment. Now varicose veins are easily treated with endovenous ablation. Local anesthesia means a better procedure. We seal the problem vein safely and effectively, thus eliminating the problem at its source. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis. Patients are able to walk out of our office without assistance within hours of arriving. Recovery is simple, and normal activities may be resumed right away. Our ablation methods are Endovenous Laser Ablation and Radiofrequency Ablation. Both safely seal unhealthy veins and allow them to be naturally reabsorbed by the body. There is only a tiny incision from the procedure, and very little discomfort accompanies these successful methods. They are the gold standard of vein care: Minimally invasive treatment achieving vein closure.
Varicose Veins: We permanently close the vein without having to surgically remove it. Through a small nick, Dr. Wright inserts a small catheter. Ultrasound view of the veins shows him where to precisely place the catheter to treat the vein. Local anesthetic like that used by a dentist helps numb the area being treated for maximum comfort.
Varicose vein treatment in this manner takes less than an hour. Patients walk out of the office. There is no problem with scarring from the tiny incision. Recovery takes place over a matter of hours or days. If medication is needed, it is simply over-the-counter pain reliever. Vein symptoms such as aching, tenderness or burning disappear quickly.
EVLT® (EndoVenous Laser Treatment) is the state of the art treatment of varicose veins. Varicose veins result from valve failure in the greater saphenous vein. Valve failure causes blood to back up into the lower leg. This backed-up blood often causes swelling and veins to become visible. EVLT® uses a laser through a small incision in the greater saphenous vein to seal the problem blood vessel. Blood flow is resumed by the surrounding healthy veins.
Varicose Vein Treatment Compared with Surgical Stripping
Please Note: Not all patients suffering from vein disease will be suitable candidates for this treatment. Check with your doctor.
Sclerotherapy, injecting an irritant chemical into the vein, is excellent for small veins (spider veins) as a cosmetic procedure. This comfortable procedure is done in our office and one session takes about 45 minutes. Sclerotherapy can be done on cosmetic spider veins alone, or after endovenous ablation on varicose and their remaining spider veins.
Sometimes varicose vein treatments call for a deeper version of sclerotherapy performed with ultrasound guidance to reach veins that are between a deeper varicose vein and a superficial spider vein. This is called ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy. Injections of simple cosmetic veins are called sclerotherapy. Spider veins respond beautifully to this treatment. Matted veins also respond well to sclerotherapy.
Patients often require several sclerotherapy treatments to completely clear an area. Sclerotherapy alone should not be used for re-fluxing saphenous veins, because the source of disease is not eliminated. But for veins on the surface of the leg, sclerotherapy is an excellent treatment.
Dr. Wright’s varicose vein treatment results are undeniable, check out his before and after pictures.
Dr Wright and the staff at Laser Lipo and Vein Center are the BEST! I have had leg vein problems for years and have been to numerous doctors all over the St Louis area. Was still not happy with the results I had achieved with these other doctors. When I found the flyer/coupon for Laser Lipo and Vein Center I thought why not try one more. From my first visit to my last I am so pleased with the results! The staff and Dr Wright were knowledgeable, informative, and very caring about the procedures that were to be done which were basically painless! Besides my co-payments my insurance covered it all! I would recommend him to all who are in need of the services they provide!
– D.B.
Are varicose veins common?
Answer: Yes. 3 in 10 adults will experience varicose veins. Women are also more likely to develop them than men.
Where are varicose veins most likely to appear?
Answer: While they can appear anywhere, they are more likely to show on the legs. Standing and walking increases the pressure on those veins.
