SUPPORT HOSE

Support hose are also known as “surgical weight pressure gradient stockings”. These scientifically designed elastic stockings come in a wide variety of length, colors and compressions. They are an integral part of vein care. We use them to reduce swelling, prevent clots, for travel, reduce symptoms, help vein valves heal, and help keep treated veins empty so the body can seal them off. They also slow the appearance of new spider and varicose veins. They help make your legs look and feel better.

We recommend them as “conservative treatment” during pregnancy, during treatment such as sclerotherapy or external laser treatments, after surgery and whenever clothing and activities allow. In short they’re good insurance. We are proud to stock both Jobst (produced locally in the Charlotte area) and Sigvaris stockings for the convenience of our patients.
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ULTRASOUND

Ultrasound is the technology that has made possible great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of vein disease.

Arteries bring blood from the heart into your legs. Veins bring the blood back to the heart often working against gravity. Tiny valves in the veins are supposed to prevent the blood from going back down the legs. When the valves go bad, the blood backs up causing symptoms such as pain, burning, itching and swelling. Veins further down the leg are overfilled and bulge. Vein problems are valve problems.

Arteries and nerves are far more consistent in their anatomy than veins. Veins are highly variable and often are different from person to person or even leg to leg.

We use ultrasound to map out your specific anatomy and to determine which veins are normal and which are not. Reflux is backward (or downward) flow in a vein due to valve malfunction. By demonstrating which veins are abnormal we can customize our treatment to your needs. You can see for yourself!

Ultrasound is also used during our operative procedures to enable us to treat veins we couldn’t otherwise see or feel. It is the guide that enables us to give you the best possible treatment with the least amount of scarring or pain. We also use it to look for clots.
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Most ultrasound exams are covered by your insurance.

ENDOVENOUS LASER TREATMENT (EVLT)

EVLT is the new high tech state of the art treatment that is rapidly replacing vein stripping. It is used to seal off large abnormal veins in the thighs (GSV) and calf (SSV). Basically a thin laser fiber is inserted into the vein though a needle. The vein is surrounded by local anesthesia which eliminates pain, compresses the vein on the laser, and acts as insulation. The vein is then “welded shut” as the laser fiber is withdrawn. This modern technique is a great improvement over the old vein strippings still done by most surgeons. It is minimally invasive, kinder and gentler, less painful, more cosmetic and offers a much better long term result. It eliminates the need for hospitalization and general or spinal anesthesia. Thus it is safer. The down time is short – usually only 1-2 days - allowing for less time lost from work or play.
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MICROPHLEBECTOMY

Microphlebectomy is the removal of veins through tiny incisions. The procedures are done under a special local anesthetic. The incisions are made with a needle or the very tip of a pointed scalpel blade. Using this technique large veins can be removed with a hook though very small incisions. This gives the patient excellent cosmetic results with little pain or scarring. The results are permanent and the bruising usually clears within a month. Veins larger than 3mm or 1/8” are often removed in this fashion. Because if is an operative procedure it is slightly more expensive than sclerotherapy. However, the results are much faster (3 weeks vs. 6 months) It is often used in conjunction with EVLT.
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SCLEROTHERAPY

Sclerotherapy involves the injection of chemicals into veins. The medicines damage the vein, the veins clot and the body then must absorb both the vein and the clot within. Most doctors use saline (concentrated salt), but saline is painful and can cause skin ulcerations. As the Vein Center of Lake Norman we use Sotradecol (Sodium Tetradecyl) which is FDA approved. It is less painful and safer for you. Sclerotherapy can be used to treat any vein, but most often it is used to treat medium sized (1-4mm) “reticular” veins. Frequently we mix air with the Sotradecol to create a foam. This process causes the medicine to go further and work better with less risk.
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