Many treatment options exist for relieving the symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency, otherwise known as venous reflux. One method, known as VenaSeal, uses a medical-grade glue to seal the vein, closing it off so blood does not flow in the wrong direction.

VenaSeal works best for large, deep veins in your legs. These veins, such as the great saphenous vein, lie deep in your leg. When damaged, they cause the noticeable varicose veins seen beneath your skin. VenaSeal also can be used on smaller veins and those closer to the surface of your skin.

Symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Whether due to injury, chronic pressure or age, the valves in your leg veins can become compromised and allow the blood that flows to your heart to leak backward. When this happens, it causes a myriad of symptoms that include:

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    • Pain
    • Throbbing throughout your legs
    • A heavy feeling
    • Dull, persistent aching in your legs
    • Pain that strengthens when you stand for a long period of time
    • Swelling in your legs or ankles
    • Pain that recedes when your legs are elevated
    • A feeling of tightness in your calves
    • Weak legs
    • Skin that changes color, especially around your ankles
    • A thickening or hardening of the skin on your legs and ankles
    • Irritated, itchy, dry or cracked skin if you scratch
    • Varicose veins on the surface of your legs
    • Red, swollen, crusted or weepy skin, a condition called venous stasis dermatitis
    • Skin ulceration or breakdown

    Along with a physical exam and discussion of your medical history, your Manhattan vein doctor may request an ultrasound. This painless procedure determines the location of the compromised veins and the extent of the damage.

    Procedure for VenaSeal

    After determining the location of the aching veins, your vein doctor sterilizes and prepares the site for the procedure. The next steps include:

    1. Making a tiny incision at the site — the incision is so small, no stitches are required
    2. Inserting a tiny catheter through the incision into the diseased vein
    3. Injecting a small amount of medical glue into the vein
    4. Removing the catheter and bandaging the injection site

    The glue closes the vein, which eventually collapses. The blood is rerouted naturally through healthy veins in your leg. As the diseased vein collapses, most if not all of your symptoms decrease.

    Benefits of VenaSeal

    Many of the side effects of other treatments do not exist with VenaSeal. Some of the positive benefits of the procedure include:

    • Not requiring multiple injections of local anesthetic
    • Patients reporting little discomfort
    • A quick return to normal activity
    • No medication needed before or after
    • It is a minimally invasive procedure
    • No compression stocking required
    • No risk of burns, skin damage or nerve injury sometimes seen with thermal procedures

    The results are similar to those found in laser and radiofrequency treatments, but with fewer potential side effects. Patients can return immediately to normal activity and report almost immediate improvement in symptoms.

    Risks of VenaSeal

    While the VenaSeal procedure is very safe, some risks are inherent with any medical procedure. These rare risks include:

    • Hyperpigmentation at the injection site
    • Mild inflammation of the skin or underlying tissue
    • Numbness, tingling, burning or prickling feelings
    • Infection around the injection site
    • Bleeding from the site
    • Edema or swelling of your leg
    • Hives
    • Ulceration at the injection site
    • An allergy to the medical glue
    • Phlebitis or inflammation of the vein
    • Hematoma or bruising at the injection site or along the length of the diseased vein
    • Pain at the injection site or along the length of the vein
    • Visible scarring
    • Blood clots
    • Blockage in the arteries of your lung

    Because your vein doctor at Manhattan Vein Specialists of NYC is highly trained and experienced in VenaSeal, your risks are greatly reduced. Talk to your doctor to determine if this procedure is for you.

    Alternatives to VenaSeal

    With multiple treatment options available, your vein specialist chooses the correct procedure for your specific needs. Alternatives to VenaSeal include:

    VenaSeal is a safe, effective method of scarring and collapsing damaged veins that are causing uncomfortable symptoms. Studies show veins in patients remain closed after one year in 93 percent of those receiving this treatment. Your quality of life improves almost immediately as your symptoms rapidly begin to subside.