Michael Cornwell, MD, FACS, is the Lead Physician in the Bensalem, PA, and Horsham, PA, Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) locations. In this video, he describes the healing process after sclerotherapy using Varithena®.
Dr. Cornwell advises patients to continue to wear supportive compression-type garments routinely, beyond the initial 24-hours of wearing an ACETM wrap, to keep gravity from pushing blood down the legs and putting pressure on veins. These garments can include elastic athletic wear, yoga pants, or compression stockings.
While the results of sclerotherapy using Varithena is immediate, Dr. Cornwell recommends waiting three to six months to see the full effects of any procedure performed at a CVR clinic.
There is a one-month follow-up after the procedure to make sure that the vein didn’t re-open or that the shift in pressure didn’t cause a problem with a nearby vein, says Dr. Cornwell. The six-month follow-up corresponds with when the final result is expected. Duplex ultrasound is performed at each of these appointments to check blood flow and the leg veins' structure.
Polidocanol, the chemical used in sclerotherapy, has been around for quite some time; however, there is a new way to deliver it, explains Dr. Cornwell. By mixing polidocanol with oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), a new concentration develops. Dr. Cornwell describes this concentration as “useful in the closure of not only varicose veins, but also truncal veins.” Truncal veins (e.g., the great saphenous and small saphenous veins) are slightly deeper in the leg and tend to feed varicose veins, says Dr. Cornwell.
Truncal veins, which in the past were treated using more extensive catheter procedures, can now be treated using the simple Varithena process. “This is a significant innovation,” declares Dr. Cornwell.
The caring, informative physicians at CVR offer many different techniques to treat varicose veins. Procedures are covered by most major insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid. Schedule a consultation at your local CVR location today.
Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) vein disease expert Michael Cornwell, MD, FACS, describes what Varithena® is and how it is used to treat varicose veins.
Truncal leg veins, including the great saphenous and small saphenous veins, are deeper, are not usually visible, and tend to feed varicose veins.
