HIGH-TECH TECHNIQUES ENABLE DERMATOLOGIC SURGEONS TO BANISH VARICOSE VEINS FROM THE INSIDE OUT by ASDS Unsightly and painful varicose and spider veins affect 50% of the population by the time they reach middle age. Those concerned about their appearance are often too embarrassed to wear shorts or a bathing suit. For these men and women, there are new treatment options that banish veins from the inside out to reduce scarring, avoid the use of general anesthesia, and eliminate extensive recovery time.

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Press release from the The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (October 31, 2002)

October 31, 2002 – Chicago, IL. Unsightly and painful varicose and spider veins affect 50% of the population by the time they reach middle age. Those concerned about their appearance are often too embarrassed to wear shorts or a bathing suit. For these men and women, there are new treatment options that banish veins from the inside out to reduce scarring, avoid the use of general anesthesia, and eliminate extensive recovery time.

Advances in Venous Disease was presented by Robert A. Weiss, MD, Baltimore, MD, at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery in Chicago, where he discussed the benefits of microfoam injection therapy, endovenous lasers and radio frequency closure techniques to treat cosmetic and medical vein conditions.

“As medical technology advances, we now have a wide variety of minimally invasive vein treatments to offer our patients,” says Dr. Weiss. “Depending on the type, shape, size and color of the blood vessel, we can provide an individualized treatment plan to safely remove the veins, regardless of the location or the patient’s skin color.”

Varicose veins are abnormally swollen or enlarged blood vessels caused by a weakening in the vein’s wall. Varicose veins occur from the backward pooling of blood in the legs caused by damaged or diseased valves in the veins. In the past, large varicose veins typically required stripping or the surgical removal of the defective vein under general anesthesia. Left untreated, they can lead to leg ulcers, severe inflammation and even potentially fatal blood clots. Now, varicose veins can be quickly treated in the doctor’s office with only a tiny puncture.

Microfoam Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy, the injection of special solutions into the unwanted veins, is the gold standard for treatment of smaller “spider” veins on the legs. The solution fills the vein and chemically irritates the lining of the vessel wall causing it to disintegrate.

However, larger varicose veins are often too big to sufficiently fill with the solution without becoming diluted by the blood in the vein. Now, a new advance called “microfoam scelerotherapy” uses a special aerated detergent-like compound that can be injected directly into the vein to overcome this problem. Similar to blown insulation, the foam briefly “spreads” the vein, replaces the blood and holds the solution in place against the walls of the defective vein. The unhealthy vein contracts within a minute or two, eventually collapses and is gradually absorbed into the body. Although microfoam sclerotherapy is widely used in Great Britain, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently classifies it for investigational use only.

Endovenous Lasers

Endovenous lasers are used as a treatment alternative to surgical stripping of the greater saphenous vein and work by destroying the target vein with thermal energy generated by the beam of an 810nm diode laser. With the aid of an ultrasound examination, a small laser fiber is inserted, usually through a needle stick in the skin, into the damaged vein. Pulses of laser light are emitted inside the vein, which is repeated while the laser fiber is withdrawn along the entire length of the vein, causing it to collapse and seal shut. This procedure can be done in the office under local anesthesia. A bandage or compression hose is usually recommended on the treated leg following the treatment.

Endovenous Radio Frequency Closure Technique

This treatment works very similar to endovenous laser therapy and is ideal for treating large vessels. It involves inserting a small tube called a catheter into the defective vein through a small puncture. A thin probe is used to deliver radio frequency energy to the vein wall, causing the problematic vein to shrink and seal shut.

“The radio frequency closure technique is very appealing to patients because it is a minimally invasive procedure that entails just a needle puncture and local anesthesia. Patients can play golf the same afternoon instead of the traditional two to six weeks of recovery associated with stripping,” notes Dr. Weiss who was instrumental in the development of this new approach. “All three of these methods are effective vein treatment options that provide patients with virtually immediate relief from aching and swollen legs with the equivalent of a needle prick.”

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery was founded in 1970 to promote excellence in the subspecialty of dermatologic surgery and to foster the highest standards of patient care. With more than 2,500 members, the ASDS is the nation’s primary resource and advocate for education, research and patient safety related to therapeutic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery of the skin.

For more information on dermatologic surgery treatments for varicose veins, along with referrals to board-certified skin surgery specialists in specific geographic locations, please contact the ASDS consumer hotline, 1-800-441-ASDS (2737) during weekday business hours, or visit its web site at www.aboutskinsurgery.com.

For more information, contact:
Nadine Tosk, ASDS, at (504) 483-6957

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