Treatment Process
Office visit
Who should see the doctor
Any patient who exhibits signs or symptoms may benefit from a visit to the Atrium Laset Vein Center’s office. During the consultation and after a full evaluation of history and a physical exam, a detailed treatment plan will be determined. To diagnose varicose veins, your doctor will perform a detailed physical exam, focusing on the presence of any vascular problems, including varicose veins. This will involve looking at your legs while you're standing to check for symptoms of varicose veins. You may also be asked questions related to varicose vein problems, such as history of any leg problems, pains or aches and circumstances related to them.
Almost all patients who will need intervention will require a detailed venous ultrasound to determine the presence and extent of venous reflux and to delineate which veins are affected.
Particular attention will be focused on visible varicose veins as well as reticular and spider veins and the treatment plan to address them will be discussed.
No special preparations are needed prior to the office visit. Patients are encouraged to make a list of their symptoms and include their durations and previous treatments. You may consider bringing a family member or friend along to the visit to help you absorb all the information provided to you during the appointment.
Ultrasound evaluation
You may also need an ultrasound test to see if the valves in your veins are functioning normally or if there's any evidence of a blood clot. In this noninvasive test, you lie on an examination table. A small amount of warm gel is applied to your skin. The gel helps eliminate the formation of air pockets between the transducer and your body. During an ultrasound, a technician trained in ultrasound imaging (sonographer) presses a small hand-held device (transducer), about the size of a bar of soap, against your skin on the area of the body being examined, moving from one area to another as necessary. The transducer transmits images of the veins in your legs to a monitor, so a technician and your doctor can see them.
Insurance approval
Once the doctor determines that venous ablation is indicated, a process of insurance approval is initiated. This usually takes eight to 12 weeks, during which time you and your doctor are dedicated to the attempt of conservative therapy. The insurance approval is not necessary for aesthetic procedures. Those can be scheduled based on the availability of the physician.
Intervention
On the day of venous intervention, most of our physicians will allow you to have a light breakfast. You will be asked to arrange for transportation, since you will be given valium prior to the procedure, which will preclude you from safe driving that day. You will also be asked to bring your compression stockings as well as topical numbing cream with you.
Prior to the procedure, the physician will perform a detailed ultrasound to confirm preoperative findings and plan the particular procedure. After sterile preparation of the surgical field, you will be asked to remain in a comfortable position without touching the sterile field for the duration of the procedure. The physician will inform you of all of the major steps involved in the procedure, including the injection of numbing medications.
Once the procedure is complete, you will have a dressing, along with the stocking, placed on the operated leg. The physician will also give you post-operative instructions.
Follow up
You will be asked to keep the dressing intact and dry for five days. Afterwards you will be able to remove it and continue wearing the compression stocking on the intervened leg for another two weeks. Sometime after the procedure, you will be asked to return for the follow-up ultrasound evaluation of the operated leg and the visit with our physician to discuss the results.