What Can a Vascular Surgeon Do for Me?
September 29, 2015
If you suffer from abnormal veins, you know just how embarrassing and uncomfortable this condition can be. However, you don’t have to continue living with this problem. By visiting a vascular surgeon, you can find a treatment option that will alleviate your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
About Vascular Surgeons
A vascular surgeon is a doctor who has been trained to treat abnormal veins using various surgical methods. Vascular surgeons typically work at vein clinics, where they focus their entire practice on the treatment of patients suffering from vein disease.Should I See a Vascular Surgeon?
If you are experiencing symptoms of abnormal veins, you may benefit from meeting with a vascular surgeon to discuss your condition. There are two primary types of abnormal veins: spider veins and varicose veins. While spider veins are small, twisted veins that are easily visible from the surface of the skin, varicose veins are larger, swollen veins that may cause physical symptoms. Spider veins appear most commonly on the face, hands and chest, while varicose veins are common in the legs. Some of the symptoms associated with varicose veins include tingling, burning, cramping, aching, swelling and weakness.What Treatments are Available?
Vein doctors can perform a number of treatments to help alleviate the symptoms of abnormal veins. Some of these treatments include:- Sclerotherapy – Sclerotherapy is a treatment designed primarily for spider veins. During this procedure, a surgeon uses a thin needle to inject abnormal veins with a solution that makes them collapse.
- Ultrasound-Guided Chemical Ablation – This procedure is appropriate for deeper varicose veins that can’t be treated with other methods. It involves the injection of an FDA-approved chemical into affected veins. This chemical causes the veins to seal off.
- Ambulatory Microphlebectomy – For the largest varicose veins, microphlebectomy is often ideal. During this procedure, the surgeon removes varicose veins through small punctures or incisions made in the skin.