Published: September 29, 2007 11:00 pm         

New procedure offers work done all in veins

PALESTINE — Approximately 25 million people suffer from varicose veins, a painful and often unattractive condition in which the “check valves” in leg veins break, preventing blood from circulating properly out of the legs and back to the heart.

According to Palestine general surgeon Dr. Robert Falconer symptoms of varicose veins — the twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin, usually in the legs and ankles — include swelling, pain, aching and burning sensations in the legs or ankles and discoloration.

“Some of the common causes of the condition include family history, pregnancy, blood clots from trauma and jobs that require a lot of standing,” Falconer said. “Long-term, this poor venous circulation can lead to chronic leg ulcers.”

Traditional treatments for the condition, like stripping or laser therapy, can be just as uncomfortable and even more unsightly as the condition itself, leaving bruises on the legs that take weeks to disappear.

Dr. Falconer recently brought the latest treatment for varicose veins — the VNUS® Closure® procedure — to patients at Palestine Regional Medical Center.

“Closure® is a minimally invasive procedure that treats varicose veins with little or no pain,” Falconer said. “The greatest thing about it is that patients can walk away from the procedure and be back to everyday activities the next day.”

Closure® involves placement of a catheter into the vein and using radio frequency (RF) to heat the vein about four inches at a time. As the vein wall is heated, the vein shrinks and the catheter is gradually withdrawn.

“The procedure is done in the hospital and usually takes about an hour,” the doctor said. “The patient goes home that evening and walking the same day.”

Dr. Falconer learned about and was trained on the Closure® procedure during a comprehensive vein treatment course in Chicago. He has already started doing the procedure at Palestine Regional Medical Center.

“So far, the patients have been happy with the results,” he said. “Most of the time, pain medications aren’t even needed.”

As with any surgical procedure, there can be complications, Dr. Falconer said. Less than five percent of patients might have veins stay open or not close all the way and in rare cases, the patient could get a blood clot that requires blood thinners. These are checked for with ultrasound three days after the procedure.

“But if you look at the alternatives, this procedure certainly gets the patient back on their feet faster,” he said. “It is always good when you can do a procedure with the fewest complications.”

For more information about varicose veins or the VNUS® Closure® procedure, call Dr. Falconer’s office at 903-729-6010.

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Mary Rainwater may be reached via e-mail at mrainwater@palestineherald.com

     

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