Vascular Surgery

Vascular Surgery Diagnoses and Treats Diseases of the Veins and Arteries Including: 

• Arterial problems
• Aneurysms
• Reduced or restricted blood flow
• Varicose veins and spider veins
• Vein problems

Our Vein Removal Treatments

At the Summit Health Vein Center, our expert, board-certified vascular surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical techniques to effectively treat spider veins and varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy is a relatively painless procedure that often is used to treat veins. It involves injecting veins with sclerosant, a special chemical that causes the vein to close. The process stops blood flow, causing the vein to develop into scar tissue that typically fades over the course of a few weeks. Blood flow from the closed vein is then routed through healthy neighboring veins, restoring normal blood flow to the area.

No anesthesia is required for sclerotherapy. The procedure usually takes only 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the number and size of the varicose veins. Sclerotherapy has been used safely for decades to treat both varicose and spider veins.

Varicose Veins and Spider Veins

Varicose veins and spider veins are usually diagnosed based on their appearance, with no need for special tests to confirm the diagnosis. Varicose veins, in particular, can be uncomfortable as well as unattractive. Often worsening over time, they can cause problems such as pain, swelling, sores, and itching.

Varicose veins in your legs are enlarged and may look blue, twisted, or ropelike. You may have no other symptoms, or you may have:

• Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
• Cramps or general aching in the legs or aching in the area where the veins are swollen
• Feeling of heaviness in your legs, or leg muscles that tire easily
• Itching of the skin around the veins
• Discoloration or sores on your skin, especially near the ankle, from poor circulation

Spider veins are generally asymptomatic except for their unsightly appearance. They are tiny veins which usually appear on the face and on the legs. Spider veins are generally treated using nonsurgical laser devices. For more information about laser treatments, visit our Vein Center page.

Please note that a vascular surgeon is not the same as a cardiovascular surgeon. A vascular surgeon does not perform heart surgery.