Innovative Vein Treatments: Lesson 1 on VenaSeal
Treating vein disease is an exciting reward not only for patients but also for providers who are seeing better results with less invasive procedures. The most significant advance was replacing vein stripping with catheter ablation for venous insufficiency. With this treatment, procedures for permanent resolution of symptoms evolved from a surgical procedure to one that is now performed in the office with minimal downtime.The latest advancement in technology comes in the form of a medical adhesive. The purpose of this treatment was to reduce the need for local anesthetic or the sometimes painful injections need to numb the region before vein ablation. Medtronic developed this technology as VenaSeal which received FDA approval in 2015 for the treatment of venous insufficiency. Similar to vein ablation, the medical adhesive is performed with minimally-invasive tools and a catheter delivery system.For more in-depth information about VenaSeal or alternative vein treatments including vein ablation, please visit the Vein Specialist Clinics website.
What is VenaSeal?
Venaseal is a medical adhesive that fuses the walls of diseased veins through direct injection of a medical “glue” into the vein itself. The target vein is similar to what would be typically performed with vein ablation. The treatment involves no heat delivery (RF or laser ablation), so the need for tumescence anesthesia is eliminated.VenaSeal Benefits
How Is VenaSeal Performed?
In the procedure room, the leg and target vein is prepared in the same way as endovenous ablation. VenaSeal is also performed with sterile conditions and your vein doctor may have an assistant for the procedure.The target vein is visualized by ultrasound and with and a single area will be given an anesthetic to numb the skin and surrounding area. Next, the catheter and sheath (IV line) are inserted into the vein using ultrasound guidance. The catheter will be positioned distally from the saphenofemoral (SFJ) junction with a standard distance of 5-10 cm. Once correctly positioned, the glue will be inserted into the vein directly from the catheter at regular intervals while simultaneously withdrawing the device until it is out of the body. The vein doctor will apply proximal pressure to help the vein fuse closed but also prevent any delivery of medication into the deep veins. After the last injection is completed, the catheter is removed, and the doctor will compress the site to stop any entry site bleeding. You are then free to go home without the need for compression stockings.A follow-up visit with your vein specialists between 48 hours to 1 week to assess the treatment site and perform a venous ultrasound. Complications are rare but similar to those seen with vein ablation. The risk of DVT is less than 1% with proper technique and patient selection. The medical adhesive is inert, however, rare reports of allergy or intolerance have been reported requiring treatment.
source: https://spiderandvaricoseveinsnj.mystrikingly.com/blog/new-treatment-for-varicose-veins