Sclerotherapy involves the use of a very small needle to inject the sclerosant agent into the diseased veins. The solutions work by causing the veins to shrink, close off, and gradually disappear.

The needles used at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists are very small and feel like a mosquito bite. Most people find this relatively painless.

Sclerotherapy works by closing veins so blood cannot pool and cause visible and invisible symptoms. Once the vein collapses, the body will recognize it as unviable and will absorb it. This process occurs naturally over the course of about six weeks. Sometimes it can take longer for the remnants of the vein to completely disappear. Patients may begin to see their once-problematic veins lighten three to four weeks after their sclerotherapy procedure. It is also important to understand that, in some cases, sclerotherapy must be repeated to fully eradicate the visible symptoms of varicose veins.

Yes. Patients sometimes present with multiple vein issues at one time. To address each, we develop a comprehensive treatment plan that may combine a few different modalities. The objective of vein treatment is to eliminate the venous insufficiency that is causing problems like spider veins and varicose veins. Treatments are performed to reduce uncomfortable symptoms and improve the appearance of the legs. As an example, spider veins may be treated with sclerotherapy, while deeper veins experiencing reflux may be treated with radiofrequency ablation. Some varicose veins may respond well to non-thermal therapies like VenaSeal. Some may need more comprehensive vein treatment like ambulatory phlebectomy. The advantage of receiving care from a vein specialist is that they have the various modalities that are necessary to meet broader venous insufficiency in a safe, effective manner.

As with radiofrequency ablation, just about anyone bothered by their varicose veins is a great candidate for endovenous laser ablation. Dr. Heeringa advises patients to exhaust conservative treatment options — wearing compression stockings, losing weight, exercise (particularly with your legs), and elevating your legs while sitting — before opting to have Endovenous Thermal Ablation.

Endovenous Laser Ablation uses laser energy, which is simply a highly concentrated beam of light. Medical lasers work by delivering this light energy to the targeted tissue with extreme precision, so as not to affect the surrounding tissue. Lasers have proven their safety and effectiveness through years of use in all types of medical procedures, from eye surgery to dermatology. In the hands of a skilled physician, lasers offer far less risk for complications than conventional surgery.

In Endovenous Thermal Ablation, a thin fiber is inserted into the damaged vein through a tiny entry point in the skin. Using ultrasound technology, a thin laser fiber is guided into the vein through a very small opening to deliver pulsed laser heat to the diseased vein wall. This causes the vein to close and seal shut and eliminates venous reflux at its source. The veins that are closed are superficial veins that handle less than five percent of the body’s blood flow. The blood is automatically routed to other, healthy veins.

Some physicians are now using a jacketed fiber, which prevents any contact between the fiber and the vein wall. The jacketed fiber prevents much of the pain and bruising that is often associated with the most conventional method of ligation and stripping. Some patients may experience temporary soreness or some slight swelling, which can be treated effectively with over-the-counter, non-aspirin pain relievers, and typically subsides within 1 to 2 days. Possible complications of endovenous laser treatment are thermal skin burns and transient numbness.

Both Radiofrequency ablation and Endovenous Thermal Ablation procedures are an alternative to more invasive leg stripping surgery that requires hospitalization and general anesthesia. Radiofrequency ablation and Endovenous Thermal Ablation are used primarily to treat the great saphenous veins (GSV), small saphenous vein (SSV), and other superficial veins in the legs. Varicose veins that branch off from these blood vessels are treated with Sclerotherapy or Ambulatory Phlebectomy.

The veins closed off by Dr. Heeringa with Endovenous Thermal Ablation are permanently closed. They won’t return to pumping blood, so they then cannot become varicose veins either. Most veins treated with laser ablation are effectively invisible, even to ultrasound, 12 months after the procedure. There isn’t any scarring with this procedure, and there is little, if any, discomfort. The treated vein will not return. Of course, you can still develop other varicose veins in the future.

As with any procedure where the skin is penetrated, there is a slight risk of injection, but this occurs in less than 1 in 1,000 cases. Since the catheter is inside the blood vessel, there is a risk of damage to the blood vessel, bruising or bleeding at the puncture site, and infection. The experience of Dr. Heeringa and our team at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists mitigates this risk.

Patients often have some post-procedure bruising and tenderness. Your compression stockings help to ease these effects.

Thrombophlebitis (swelling of the vein) is not uncommon, and this can cause pain and tenderness over the treated area. Most patients only need over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication and ice to handle the pain.

There is an extremely low risk of a pulmonary embolism where a blood clot forms in the vein and can travel to the lungs.