Dr. Kaufman is Northern Colorado’s most experienced and skilled vein care specialist, with over 1000 Closure® procedures performed! He offers a complete range of treatment options, from the most modern, state-of-the-art treatments – like VNUS Closure® – to the more traditional options – like vein stripping.
|
ADVANTAGES |
DISADVANTAGES |
|
RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION (CLOSURE®)
|
Effective - less than 3% recurrence rate. Painless after local anesthesia wears off. Fast. Can be safely used to treat incompetent perforating veins, often associated with skin ulceration. |
None |
| ENDOVENOUS LASER ALBATION (EVL) |
Effective - less than 10% recurrence rate. Fast. |
Pain and bruising from vein perforation during procedure. Pain is evident after local anesthesia wears off. Some patients experience foul taste during procedure. |
| SCLEROTHERAPY |
Simple. Inexpensive. Can be used to treat incompetent perforating veins. Can treat convoluted vein not amendable to access with a stiff, straight catheter. |
Prolonged soreness from inflammation. Brown pigmentation, often for prolonged period. High rate of recurrence. |
| HIGH LIGATION AND STRIPPING |
None |
High morbidity - pain, bleeding, bruising. Prolonged recovery period. High rate of recurrence. |
The latest minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins
VNUS Closure® Procedure - State-of-the-art treatment
The original VNUS Closure® procedure was pioneered in Europe in 1998 and became available in the United States one year later. Since 1999, over 400,000 patients have had this safe, effective in-office treatment for venous reflux. It is a clinically-proven, patient-friendly procedure that treats varicose veins and their underlying cause: venous reflux. VNUS Closure® is essentially painless and does not produce the bruising associated with laser. Dr. Kaufman's experience and success with the closure procedure has been unsurpassed.
In the first quarter of 2007, the most exciting development in the field of minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux was introduced by VNUS® Medical Technologies. Called ClosureFast®, it lives up to its name. Because of its segmental approach, treating 7cm lengths of vein each in 20 seconds, it reduces the variability of energy delivery seen with manual pullback employed in laser and previous generation radiofrequency systems. It also reduces vein treatment time substantially - typically to two to three minutes. Total Vein Care is proud to be the regional leader in this groundbreaking new treatment for vein disease.
The Benefits of the VNUS Closure® include:
- Relief of symptoms - The VNUS Closure Fast®
- Short recovery time - You should be able to return to your normal lifestyle immediately.
- Improved aesthetic appearance - You will notice virtually no scarring, bruising or swelling following the VNUS Closure®
Conservative Therapy
In the past, it was thought that varicose veins could be treated using a combination of exercise, wearing compression hose, and elevating and resting the legs. We now know that this will not make the veins disappear or necessarily prevent them from worsening because the underlying disease (venous reflux) has not been addressed. These activities, along with weight reduction, may provide some temporary symptomatic relief.
Sclerotherapy (Chemical Injections)
For nearly half a century, destruction of spider veins and varicose veins by injection treatment has been standard practice. Injection of a detergent solution into a vein causes it to close.
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
As with sclerotherapy, ambulatory phlebectomy is a procedure for treating varicose veins. Multiple small incisions are made over protruding veins which are "fished out" of the leg using fine surgical instruments. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
Vein Stripping
A refluxing vein may also be removed by a surgical procedure known as vein stripping. Under general anesthesia, the defective vein is tied off, divided, and then pulled out through an incision. The legs are bandaged after surgery but pain, swelling and bruising may last for weeks.
