Who should treat my varicose veins or spider veins?
Since the introduction of inimally invasive varicose vein treatment modalities early in this decade; more specifically, endovenous ablation modalities, such as the VNUS closure procedure and EVLT, varicose vein treatment gradually moved from the hospital to the office setting, and a diverse group of physicians, ranging from cardiologists to radiologists, entered into the field of varicose vein treatment. As a consequence of this revolution in the management of vein disease, the American College of Phlebology was established, having as a goal the provision of knowledge and skills required for the use of new vein treatment technologies. In the year 2005, the American Medical Association, AMA, recognized phlebology as a separate self-designated specialty, the same as dermatology, vascular surgery, or any other recognized specialty.
Accordingly, having your veins treated by a phlebologist will be your best option, especially if the modality chosen is a minimally invasive procedure, such as the VNUS closure procedure.
Varicose veins and Varicose Spider Veins are treated by a wide variety of different physicians with different specialties including surgeons, dermatologists and internists. The most important factor for choosing a treating physician is to find one who is knowledgeable and who has experience with the complexities of diagnosis and variety of treatment options available for varicose veins. To this end, the Interventional Radiologist is fellowship trained to perform minimally invasive, image-guided therapies in all blood vessels throughout the body. Endovenous Laser Therapy is a procedure which uses ultrasound to guide the needle puncture of the great saphenous vein, place a fine laser probe or catheter into it, and advance it to the precise location in order to safely deliver heat energy to the precise anatomic compartment. This procedure is simply an extension of techniques Interventional Radiologists use in our day to day practice. Furthermore, the Interventional Radiologist is speciali
