Newswise — (Baltimore, MD) – Mercy Medical Center now offers the VenaSeal™ procedure as a new option for treating venous reflux disease and varicose veins, Paul R. Lucas, M.D., FACS, RPVI, Director, The Vascular Center at Mercy, has announced.
VenaSeal™ is a minimally invasive in-office procedure that improves the blood flow to the affected veins. This new, innovative treatment eliminates the need for anesthesia, compression stockings and invasive surgical procedures. Patients treated with VenaSeal™ experience less discomfort, bruising and downtime. Many patients are often able to resume normal activities by the next day.
“Venous reflux disease occurs when there is not proper blood flow in the leg veins. Patients may experience painful, swollen, or restless legs and develop varicose and spider veins. Research suggests that people with varicose veins may also have a higher risk of developing a clot in the deeper veins of the legs, known as deep-vein thrombosis or DVT,” Dr. Alain Tanbe explained. “VenaSeal offers a painless and minimally invasive way to treat these conditions.”
According to Dr. Lucas, typically radio frequency or laser catheters with anesthesia are used to get the veins to contract and close. The procedure requires several needle punctures, and the patient must wear compression stockings night and day for a few weeks following.
“However, the VenaSeal system applies the same principle of closing the problem vein, but uses an adhesive, rather than heat. The veins are shut with a type of glue, and there’s no need for wearing compression stockings afterwards, which is a big plus with patients,” Dr. Kurtis Kim said.
A clear catheter is inserted within in the vein, and the adhesive is then pumped into the vein. The glue is applied throughout, while pressure is placed to press it closed.
“Varicose veins may be a sign of a more serious condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, which in severe cases, can result in lifestyle-limiting lower leg pain, swelling, skin damage, and ulcerations,” Dr. Lucas explained. “The VenaSeal™ closure system is an innovative treatment option that improves blood flow by closing the diseased vein. It uses medical adhesive to coapt and close the vein, with high closure rates across three clinical trials.”
The procedures force blood to take a different route, through healthy veins. In both instances, the affected vein eventually becomes absorbed by the body.
“Venous reflux disease, varicose veins, these issues impact about 20 percent of the population, particularly people who must stand or sit for long periods of time. To be able to quickly and simply address this problem and reduce or eliminate the pain that goes with it, it can greatly enhance a patient’s quality of life,” Dr. Lucas said.
The Vascular Center at Mercy Medical Center offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of circulatory system disorders including stroke and mini stroke, leg pain and swelling, blood clots in veins, aneurysms, varicose veins and circulatory disease.
For more information, visit www.mdmercy.com, MDMercyMedia on FACEBOOK and TWITTER or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy.
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