Radiofrequency Ablation

Healthy veins consist of vein valves that act as one-way doors, facilitating one-way blood circulation towards the heart while resisting the force of gravity. Chronic venous insufficiency is a circulatory disorder wherein the vein valves malfunction, which causes blood to flow backward and accumulate in the leg veins. The continued accumulation of blood in leg veins leads to dilated blood vessels that bulge out of the skin’s surface, i.e., varicose veins.

Radiofrequency ablation involves using radiofrequency energy to collapse the diseased saphenous vein responsible for your varicose veins, thereby restoring effective blood circulation.

During the procedure, the vein doctor applies local anesthesia and makes a small incision on the skin’s surface. The incision is an entry point through which the vein doctor inserts a tube-like device called a catheter. The catheter is driven into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. Once lodged in place, the vein doctor surrounds the vein with an anesthetic fluid to protect the surrounding tissues. Finally, the catheter is activated to generate radiofrequency energy and collapse the diseased vein.

Radiofrequency ablation concludes within 30 to 60 minutes with no downtime. It has a 98% success rate, a negligible risk of complications, and it’s covered by most insurance providers.