The Vein Treatment Center ©
Dr. Luis Navarro, MD, FACS
327 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065
Welcome to The Vein Treatment Center
Established in 1982, The Vein Treatment Center © is the leading New York City medical facility specializing exclusively in the treatment of varicose veins, spider veins, and related venous disorders.
The methods developed at the facility, including Endonvenous Laser Ablation (EVLT) and now Painless Sclerotherapy, have revolutionized the specialty and are used by physicians worldwide.
* MOST PROCEDURES COVERED BY INSURANCE *
* FREE CONSULTATIONS *
Meet Dr. Navarro
Dr. Luis Navarro, a Board Certified Phlebologist and vascular specialist, has devoted his professional life to the development of treatments for venous disorders. He has pioneered numerous non-invasive procedures, including EVLT, Combined Therapies, and now PAINLESS SCLEROTHERAPY.
Painless Sclerotherapy
Advancements in technology have revolutionized Sclerotherapy and the treatment of veins on legs, hands and other areas of the body. The Vein Treatment Center has been treating veins for over 30 years with safe, fast, and long lasting cosmetic results.
Before & After Photos
View our before and after photo galleries that show the results of vein treatments on the legs, hands, face & more.
See for yourself why The Vein Treatment Center is the NYC leader in treating and removing unwanted varicose veins, spider veins, and all venous conditions.
Visit Our Main Website at VeinTreatmentCenter.com
Blog Posts are Below:
Tag Archives: Vein Stripping
Vein Stripping
What is vein stripping? A common surgical procedure for the treatment of varicose veins is vein stripping, is known to remove veins that are causing problems. Vein stripping is not only limited to the treatment of varicose veins. It is also used to treat chronic venous disease or venous reflux. It involves removal or stripping of the vein using minimal incisions.
Vein Stripping Procedure
Your doctor will give you either general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia, depending on which one is the best for you. General anesthesia puts you to sleep during the procedure, whereas spinal anesthesia numbs the lower body, and you stay awake during the procedure. If you feel nervous about the spinal anesthesia, then the doctor might give you an anti-anxiety medication beforehand.
The doctor or surgeon will make several small incisions near the top and bottom of the damaged vein. The doctor will make one of the incisions on your groin and the other farther down your leg. The other incisions will be either on your calf or on your ankle. The surgeon will then insert a thin, flexible plastic wire through the groin incision. The surgeon will then tie the wire to the vein for its stripping. Then they will pull the wire through the incision in the leg, and as the wire pulls out the vein strips out of the body.
In the end, the surgeon will close the incisions with stitches and secure the stitches with bandages. The surgeon will also give you compression stockings to wear to apply pressure for normal blood flow and to avoid postoperative bleeding.
How To Prepare
Before you go for a vein stripping surgery, your doctor will take a medical examination. This will help your doctor to know exactly where the non-working or diseased valves are present. The doctor will take an ultrasound to view the veins. They might need to use a few ultrasound devices for a better and clearer image. Duplex scan is specially used to view the veins and measure the amount of blood flowing through them. The scans and ultrasound will help find any clots or thrombosis in the veins.
Tell your doctor about any medications or over-the-counter drugs you are taking. The doctor might tell you to stop taking them temporarily so that there is no risk of heavy bleeding during the procedure.
On the day of the surgery, make sure you have a friend or family member with you to drive you back home. General anesthesia will obviously make you drowsy, and you will not be able to drive.
Recovery
Usually, it takes two to four weeks of recovery time after the vein stripping surgery, but this also depends upon how many veins were stripped and how near or far they were located.
After vein stripping, there will be pain and discomfort. To deal with the pain, your doctor will prescribe medications. For the next three to four days, it is necessary that you let your body rest. Your doctor will also tell you to stay off your feet and avoid physical activities in the first four days. During this period, you have to make sure to elevate your legs when sitting. You can also prop your legs with pillows or cushions. Elevating your legs will help in maintaining the normal blood flow and in quick recovery. By the fourth week or after recovery can return to normal activities.
Risk of Vein Stripping
As with any surgical treatment, vein stripping can lead to some complications. There is a possibility of allergic reactions after surgery. Post-operative bleeding can take place afterward, so doctors use compressive pads over the area. If there is a serious problem regarding the clotting of blood, it might lead to deep vein thrombosis. Other risks include bruising or scarring, infection, and nerve injury.
It is important that you visit an expert, well-experienced, and highly skilled doctor for vein stripping. When you have a skilled and experienced surgeon performing vein stripping, you have to worry least about the risks of vein stripping. To avoid these complications, it is also necessary to tell your doctor of any medical history, some other disease, or medication.
Who Should Get Vein Stripping
If you have these symptoms, then vein stripping is the right treatment option for you:
- Bleeding from veins
- Skin ulcers and sores
- Blood clots
- Chronic pain and throbbing in the legs
If you have had treatment for varicose vein, but you are again facing vein insufficiency problem, then vein stripping is the surgical treatment you should go for.
Who is not Eligible for Vein Stripping
If you have any of the following conditions, then you are not eligible for vein stripping surgery.
- Poor leg circulation
- Skin infections
- Overweight
- Blood clotting issues
- Pregnancy
Get Treatment Now
If you have serious varicose vein or other vein insufficiency problems like CVI, then call us today at 212-249-6117 to book a consultation and get quick treatment.
At The Vein Treatment Center ©, we have certified, well experienced, and highly skilled doctors who specialize in vein stripping. We ensure a smooth, comfortable experience with minimal pain.
Varicose Veins: All You Need to Know
What are Varicose Veins?
Have you noticed large bulging veins on your legs? If so, it’s likely that these bluish-purple bulges are varicosities or varicose veins. More than 23% of US adults suffer from varicose veins. The data translates into the fact that 1 in 4 adults have or will develop varicose veins.
Varicose veins are the twisted, misshaped veins that become enlarged and dilated. Usually, your leg veins get affected the most because of the increased pressure in the lower body veins. The veins, over-filled with blood, appear swollen and have a bluish-purple color. Varicose veins can be painful in some cases.
Symptoms of Varicose Veins
While this venous disorder has many symptoms, the most visible is the twisted veins in your legs. Also, you may experience pain or swelling around the dilated veins. Here are signs that you should not ignore.
- Veins appearing blue, dark purple, or red
- Bulging and twisted veins (mostly on the legs) which can look like cords
In case of severe varicose veins, you may develop these symptoms:
- Aching in the legs
- Heaviness in the legs; especially after some exercise
- Discoloration of the skin (turning brown or blue)around the varicose vein
- Swollen legs and ankles
- Muscle cramps while standing up suddenly
- Heaviness after standing or sitting for a long period
- Varicose veins may lead to spider veins
- Lipodermatosclerosis –Skin fat above your ankle may become hard causing the skin to become thin
- Significant bleeding in the veins
- Ulcers around the ankles
How do Varicose Veins Occur?
There is a complex network of veins running through the human body — the arteries transport blood from the heart to the tissues. The veins then return blood to your heart for blood recirculation. The veins in your legs act against gravity to return the blood to the heart.
However, when veins don’t function properly, symptoms of varicose veins occur. Weak or damaged valves in the veins affect healthy blood flow. Rather than flowing towards your heart, blood begins to accumulate in the veins. As a result, the veins enlarge.
The circulation network in your legs is more likely to experience varicose veins as they are the farthest from the heart. Because of gravity, it becomes harder for the blood to flow in an upward direction.
- There is a genetic predisposition to develop veins. 60-70% of patients with varicose veins have a family history of veins more frequent on the mother’s side.
- Varicose veins are more common in women than men; pregnancy and menopause can cause varicose veins
- Overweight or obsess people have a higher risk of varicose veins
- With aging your vein valves become weak due to wear and tear, thereby making you prone to varicose veins
- Standing for too long also dilates the veins.
Diagnosis
For diagnosis, the doctor physically examines your legs as you stand. Your doctor may inquire about the symptoms, such as aching or heavy feeling in the legs.
Also, your doctor may conduct an ultrasound to identify any abnormality in the functioning of the vein valves. He may find some evidence of obstruction, such as a blood clot in the vein.
For further examination, the radiologist may perform a venogram on your legs. During the procedure, a special type of dye is injected in the affected leg and X-rays are taken. A more modern and effective test is called a MRV (Magnetic Resonance of the Veins) usually reserve for deep venous systems or complicated cases.
Treatments for Varicose Veins
Adopting a healthy lifestyle and tweaking some habits can help you prevent varicose veins. For instance, daily exercise can improve blood circulation. A healthy diet helps to maintain a healthy weight, thereby reducing your chances of forming varicose veins.
If your job requires you to stand for long periods, consider taking breaks. You may walk around or sit for some time. More important the doctor may also advise you to wear compression socks or stockings. However, if the varicose veins become worse and cause pain, you may have to undergo treatment.
Sclerotherapy
During the sclerotherapy procedure, the doctor injects a solution or foam in small or medium sized varicose veins. The foam scars the varicose veins and closes them. The doctor may repeat the procedure on the same or other veins.
The treated area will bruise and the veins will fade away within a few weeks. Sclerotherapy is a painless procedure and does not require anesthesia. Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment for small and medium size varicose veins if properly performed.
Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA)
This procedure was developed and patented at The Vein Treatment Center © by vein treatment pioneer Dr. Luis Navarro.
In the office under local anesthesia a small laser fiber is introduced into the vein and with laser energy, the vein is closed. The procedure takes around 25 minutes, bandages applied, and patient can resume their normal activities within the same or next day.
This procedure is often combined with a Mini-Phlebectomy of the small branches. Afterwards, Sclerotherapy is used to remove the remaining spider veins.
Mini-Phlebectomy
This is procedure to removed small or medium sized veins, or so called perforators.
Under local anesthesia, through tiny incisions, and with small hooks, the veins are removed. The procedure takes around 20 minutes, dressings are applied, and the patient may resume normal activities the same day.
Vein Ligation and Stripping
Almost abandoned since the development of Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLT) by Dr. Luis Navarro, chief vascular doctor at The Vein Treatment Center ©.
In the hospital, under general anesthesia, an incision is made at the groin, and the main vein is disconnected in the deep system. Through another incision at the ankle or knee, a wire is passed through the vein and up to the groin, and the vein is stripped.
The patient is given anesthesia before the treatment. The surgeon marks incisions in the skin, cuts the enlarged vein, and then removes it. The procedure may causes bleeding, bruising, and pain. However, a patient will recover in 3-4 weeks post-surgery.
Varicose Veins: Contact The Vein Treatment Center ©
Even if you don’t feel pain, but enlarged veins are visible, you should see a vein doctor. In severe cases such as swollen and bulging leg veins, you might need to undergo a minimally invasive procedure. For painless sclerotherapy, EVLA, mini-plebectomy, or laser therapy for veins, contact the Vein Treatment Center © and schedule an appointment with the best vascular specialists in NYC.
The Vein Treatment Center ©
327 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065
212-249-6117
Our Most Popular Vein Treatments:
Painless Sclerotherapy
Foam Sclerotherapy
Endovenous Laser Ablation
Ultrasound
Mini-Phlebectomy
Laser Therapy