Our venous system is part of the circulatory system and is responsible for returning deoxygenated blood back to the heart and through the lungs to be recirculated with oxygen rich blood. Our veins have tiny one-way valves that open as the blood flows to the heart and then close to prevent the blood from flowing backwards. When these valves are not functioning properly the blood can pool in the veins. Over time this can lead to venous reflux, or venous insufficiency, which then leads to increasing back pressure that weakens the walls of the veins and causes them to bulge. Eventually, this leads to the development of varicose veins and spider veins on the surface of the legs.

If you have the symptoms of vein disease, there is a good possibility you are a candidate for a VenaCure procedure. Symptoms are your best indicator. You can have vein disease even if you see NO visible veins. You would not be a candidate if you have an implantable defibrillator or certain blood clotting disorders. We can however offer alternative treatment options, so we would still encourage you to schedule a physician appointment to determine your best course of care.

The procedure uses a laser to close the affected vein. The laser energy heats the inside to seal the faulty vein. The vein will then be closed and no blood can flow backwards. This forces the blood into the properly functioning veins.

This is dependent on the results of your diagnostic ultrasound and the physician’s recommendation. There are multiple veins that can be treated with a VenaCure ablation. They will be indentified by your ultrasound. The most common ones are the great saphenous and small saphenous veins. Your doctor will determine if it is appropriate to perform a VenaCure EVLT to treat them.

General information:

• You can shower the night before or the day of your procedure, but do not apply lotions or oils to the leg being treated.
• Do not wear compression hose two days prior to your procedure.
• For your first procedure, we highly recommend you bring a family member into the pre-op room to listen to all of the post-op instructions.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages 48 hours prior to your procedure. Alcohol can cause dehydration, which may cause the vein to shrink and the procedure to have to be postponed.

The day before your procedure:

• Increase your water intake to avoid dehydration.

The day of your procedure:

• Bring the medicine and numbing cream we prescribed to your procedure. Do not take any of the medicines at home.
• Drink 24 ounces of water in the morning.
• Do not drink any caffeine or smoke before your procedure.
• Wear loose fitting pants or shorts and slip-on shoes.
• Plan to have a driver take you home after the procedure.
• Eat a light meal prior to coming to the office.
• Take all of your daily medications. Do not stop taking any of your prescription medications unless advised to do so by our physician. Continue to take any blood thinning medicines unless we tell you to stop them.

The nurses will apply the topical anesthetic in the prep room. They will also give you a sedative pill. You will then be taken to the procedure room where they will get you ready. The doctor will then begin the procedure by injecting a local anesthesia into your leg. After numbing occurs a laser fiber is inserted under ultrasound guidance and it is advanced to the end of the vein. Additional local anesthesia is then injected to surround the whole area of the vein being treated. After adequate positioning is determined by ultrasound, the laser is turned on and pulled back through the vein until it exits the skin.

After your VenaCure EVLT:

• You will be required to have a driver due to the medications you take during the procedure. If you are in the car longer than an hour or sitting around at home, you will want to walk every hour to prevent excessive soreness the following day.
• Walking is encouraged immediately and normal daily activities can be resumed as tolerated. You will need to avoid rigorous activities such as gym workouts for 48 hours.
• You can return to work as soon as you are able. Most people go back to work the day after their procedure.
• You will leave the Ace wrap bandage on until the day following the procedure.
• Upon waking, take your bandages off and shower to remove the ChloraPrep. After showering, put on your compression hose.
• It is very important that you wear your graded compression hose for at least one week. You must wear the hose around the clock except to shower. Wearing the compression hose helps minimize pain, bruising and swelling, and helps you heal faster.
• Walk 20 minutes twice daily for 7 days to promote healing and decrease discomfort.
• For the first week, avoid prolonged standing or sitting. If possible, elevate your legs 3 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes.
• You can also place an ice pack on tender areas, but avoid applying heat.
• You may get swelling, bruising, redness and warmth in the treated leg. Sometimes it may be significant. It is also common to feel a hard, tender area along the vein that was treated. You may also experience a “pulling” or “tight” sensation for several weeks. This discomfort is part of the normal healing process.
• We will see you in our office a week after your treatment for an ultrasound and follow-up of your procedure.

The day of your treatment you can expect to be in our office for approximately two hours. The procedure itself will take 30 minutes or less. After your procedure, it is very rare that you should have to have the same area retreated. The success rate is greater than 95% as a national average.

Most insurance companies will cover the VenaCure EVLT procedure if you meet their medical criteria for treatment. Treatment criteria can include vessel reflux as determined by ultrasound, patient symptoms and/or compression therapy trial. Individual insurance companies may differ in their criteria for coverage of the treatments. Our nurses will work with you through the insurance submission process to assist you in getting the treatments that are medically necessary. Our financial advisor will help you determine what your insurance coverage is and what your out-of-pocket expenses will be.

If you would like additional information, we offer a complimentary nurse consultation. During your personal consultation our nurses will go over all of your treatment options and what you can expect before, during and after these treatments. They will also help you determine if vein disease is a possible cause for your symptoms. You can also meet with our financial advisor to determine insurance coverage.

If you are ready to begin treatment you can schedule a physician evaluation. During your evaluation our doctors will perform a medical exam, go over symptoms, and examine areas of concern to determine a treatment plan. Based on this examination they will order a diagnostic ultrasound done in an accredited lab supervised by radiologists who specialize in these tests. After your initial consultation and ultrasound, our nurses will submit your information to your insurance company to determine coverage. You can again schedule an appointment with our financial advisor to help you determine what your portion of the payments will be.

If you are not able to have a VenaCure EVLT, other treatments may be available. Compression Therapy can reduce the symptoms of venous disease and assist in healing ulcers. Sclerotherapy may also be effective for the larger refluxing veins. There are also new treatments on the horizon that may be effective for you. It is our mission at Genesis Laser & Vein to offer the best approved treatment options for vein disease to our clients. We will continue to keep up to date on the latest recommendations of care so that you have the best options available.