Venous insufficiency, also known as chronic venous insufficiency or chronic venous stasis, occurs when the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart.
Your veins have valves that keep the blood moving towards the heart. If you are suffering from venous insufficiency, the valves in the veins of the leg don’t work right, allowing fluid to pool in the legs.
Dr. Goldbaum treating a patient for venous insufficiency.
Symptoms of this condition can include:
- Swelling, often in the ankles.
- Varicose veins.
- An itchy or prickly sensation
- Numbness.
- Cramping.
- Tightening.
- Skin sores.
- Aching or a feeling of heaviness.
- Changes in skin color.
Dr. Ian S. Goldbaum, a podiatric physician and surgeon with over 30 years of experience, specializes in treating venous insufficiency at his offices in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach by utilizing advanced ultrasound technology.
“We use Radiofrequency Closure,” said Dr. Goldbaum. “We close down the faulty vein, allowing the oxygen to get to the muscles and the nerves. This keeps the de-oxygenated blood from pooling as it does with venous insufficiency.”
The closure procedure is performed in the office and takes roughly 30 minutes to perform. Using ultrasound guidance, a thin catheter is inserted into the diseased vein and delivers radiofrequency energy to the vein wall.
“We do an ultrasound of the lower extremity and actually measure the diameter of the vein,” said Dr. Goldbuam. “We can then measure the distance between Point A and Point B and measure the speed of the blood flow. If it doesn’t make the proper numbers, then we can conclude that the patient has venous insufficiency.”
As the radiofrequency energy is delivered and the catheter is withdrawn, the vein wall is heated, causing the collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close.
Once the diseased vein is closed, blood is re-routed to healthy veins and circulation will begin to improve. For an easier understanding, Dr. Goldbaum likens the procedure to fixing a traffic jam – when one road is blocked, cars simply take a detour to get to their destination.
The procedure is performed using local anesthesia and there is virtually no postoperative discomfort.
“The patient walks in and then walks out with only one stitch,” said Dr. Goldbaum. “It’s a nice procedure and takes away a lot of the problems caused by venous insufficiency.”
Most patients notice an improvement in their symptoms within a few days after receiving radiofrequency treatment. Studies have shown that the Closure procedure has a 95% long term success rate. The procedure is approved by the FDA and is covered by medical insurance plans and Medicare.
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The content on this website is for informational purposes only. Do not rely or act upon information from www.DelrayBeachPodiatry.com without seeking professional medical advice. If you live in South Florida and would like a consultation with Dr. Ian Goldbaum, a podiatric physician and surgeon with over 30 years of experience, please see our contact information below:
BOCA/DELRAY
16244 S. Military Trail #290, Delray Beach, FL 33445
561-499-0033
BOYNTON BEACH
8198 Jog Road #100
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