There is no medicine to treat varicose veins.

Compression Stockings - can be beneficial to assist in pumping blood back to the heart. While some of the symptoms may be relieved, compression stocking will not make the varicose veins go away.

Stripping - old surgical method of varicose vein treatment, which involves surgical removal of the saphenous vein from the leg under general anesthesia. These procedures require hospital stay and are also painful for a long time.

This modality is no longer standard of care and not offered in our clinic.

Sclerotherapy - involves injecting a small volume of liquid into the diseased veins. The liquid irritates the veins' wal land makes them close. Sclerotherapy is more effective for small (spider) veins. However the varicosities tend torecur a few months later.

Endovenous Laser Therapy (ELVT) - is a procedure where a thin laser fiber is inserted into the vein using ultrasound guidance. Laser energy is applied to the inside of the malfunctioning vein and the heat seals the vein closed. Other healthy veins take over normal blood flow in the leg. Over time, the varicose vein is absorbed by the body, or it can be removed during the original procedure using microphlebectomy. This laser technique treats the underlying causes of varicose veins and has almost a 100% success rate AFTER A SINGLE VISIT!

Click here to view a movie of the procedure

Before                     After

Endovenous Laser Vein Therapy - has many advantages over the traditional surgical approach:

• Walk in/ walk out treatment takes approximately 45 minutes per leg
• No hospital stay, the procedure is performed at the Chicago Vein Clinic
• No general anesthesia
• Almost immediate relief of symptoms

Microphlebectomy - is a removal of superficial varicose veins which are usually already disconnected from circulation by previously performed EVLT through microscopic (1-2 mm) incision using special instrument.

Recovery from Endovenous Laser Therapy »