Overview
An estimated 30 to 60 percent of adults suffer with leg swelling and discomfort from varicose veins caused by venous insufficiency/venous reflux. They can be embarrassing, painful, and make walking or standing difficult.
At Cleveland Clinic’s Vein Center, our staff has vast experience in treating all types of vein problems, ranging from common spider veins to the most complex vein conditions.
Our staff vascular specialists are prepared to offer expert evaluation, diagnostics and the latest treatment options, creating a customized treatment plan that is best for you.
Diagnostic Testing
Thorough evaluation and imaging is critical to achieving the best, customized treatment results. Imaging at most hospitals are done by general technicians without organ-specific expertise. At Cleveland Clinic’s Vascular Laboratory, dedicated to imaging blood vessels only, our staff uses state-of-the-art equipment to perform vascular ultrasound exams prior to treatment. These exams identify the exact location, size and functional status of the veins, providing for a quicker, less-painful experience – with better results.
Our expert staff includes board-certified vascular medicine and surgery specialists, as well as registered vascular technologists (RVT), including some with over 30 years of experience. Our lab is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL).
Treatment Options
A board-certified vascular specialist will evaluate you during your first appointment at Cleveland Clinic's Vein Centers. He or she will spend time examining your problem areas, discussing your symptoms and recommending nonsurgical and surgical options that will meet your specific needs.
The goal of any vein treatment procedure is to reduce the symptoms and pain, swelling, prevent future thromboembolic (blood clotting) complications, and improve your overall appearance. We work to solve the problem correctly the first time and avoid any recurrence.
Often treatment may require a combination of these treatments to obtain the best results.
Compression therapy
Compression therapy or the use of compression stockings, is an important part of care for chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins and spider veins. Medical-grade support hose that is prescribed specifically for the patient and fits properly, is especially helpful when veins cause pain, swelling or uncomfortable symptoms. These stockings generally can be purchased at any medical supply store and at some pharmacies.
Sclerotherapy
This simple procedure eliminates spider and reticular veins and some varicose veins by injecting the affected vein with a “sclerosing agent” solution that causes them to collapse and disappear. Most sclerotherapy patients experience significant clearing of the veins and positive results. The number of veins injected in one session is variable, depending on the size and location of the veins, and the patient’s overall medical condition. Several treatments are usually required to achieve desired results. In general, spider veins respond to treatment in three to six weeks, and larger veins respond in three to four months. Sclerotherapy can eliminate the pain and discomfort of varicose veins and helps prevent complications such as venous hemorrhage and ulceration. It is also frequently performed for cosmetic reasons. Foam sclerotherapy is a variation of sclerotherapy performed with or without ultrasound guidance that involves the injection of a foaming sclerosing agent. The foaming agent moves blood out of the vein so the sclerosing agent will have better contact with the vein wall.
Micro-phlebectomy or stab phlebectomy
Performed in an office setting or ambulatory surgery, a physician makes a tiny incision and uses a surgical instrument to hook the vein through the opening. The vein is then removed and the small incision is covered with sterile glue or steri-strips.Vein ablation and glue therapy
Saphenous vein ablation with laser or radiofrequency is used to treat a diseased main saphenous vein with reflux. This is needed frequently as the vein feeds many of the varicose veins that can be visibly in the skin. Reflux in the vein is associated with leg swelling, pain and varicose vein. Ablation or the use of a special glue can improve this symptoms. This treatment can be performed in the office or the outpatient surgery setting by a vascular surgeon and can usually be performed at the same time of the stab phlebectomy. Most patients that undergo ablation or phlebectomy will experience significant improvement in swelling, pain and decrease in visibility of the protruding varicose veins.
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Appointments & Locations
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