Venous insufficiency, also known as chronic venous insufficiency or chronic venous stasis, occurs when the veins in your body have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart.
Normally, the veins in your lower extremities keep blood moving forward toward the heart. If you are suffering from venous insufficiency, however, the vein walls are weakened and valves are damaged which causes fluid to pool in the legs.
The most common causes of venous insufficiency are previous cases of blood clots and varicose veins. In some cases, weakness of the leg muscles that help squeeze blood forward may also contribute to 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
As you may have noticed, several of the symptoms of venous insufficiency are similar to those of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which is characterized by a narrowing of the vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Unlike venous insufficiency, however, PVD targets arteries rather than veins and is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque inside the artery wall).
If left untreated, chronic venous insufficiency tends to get worse over time. It can, however, be managed if treatment is started in the early stages. And although self-care steps can potentially ease some discomfort and prevent the condition from getting worse, it is more than likely that you will a need medical procedure to treat the condition.
If you have painful varicose veins or have a sudden increase in leg pain or swelling, fever, redness of the leg, or leg sores, it is recommended that you contact your doctor immediately for diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment
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.
Dr. Goldbaum treating a patient for vascular insufficiency.
“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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