RF Venous Ablation
What is radiofrequency (RF) ablation?
RF ablation is a minimally-invasive vascular treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to heat and damage the interior walls of the targeted veins, causing the veins to close. The body naturally reroutes blood flow through the deep venous system which generally has intact valves.
This procedure is performed under a local anesthetic and has little to no downtime associated with it. Most patients walk out of the clinic and are back to work the next day. The procedure, on average takes 30-45 minutes. Patients wear compression stockings for 24-48 hours following an RF ablation treatment to aid the healing process.f
Benefits of RF Ablation:
- Minimal downtime
- Minimally-invasive
- Safe and effective
- High patient satisfaction
- Long term relie
Who Needs Venous Ablation?
Patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) typically present with leg discomfort, varicose veins, "spider veins", and in more advanced cases, with venous stasis skin changes (hyperpigmented skin usually in the area of the lower leg and ankle). In the most advanced stages of this disease, patients develop non-healing skin ulcers which often require extensive wound care.
Venous ultrasound, a simple non-invasive office procedure, can identify severe venous insufficiency due to incompetence of the valves, usually in the greater and lesser saphenous (superficial) veins. Once these incompetent veins are closed with the ablation procedure, patients quickly realize dramatic relief of their symptoms while also avoiding progression of symptoms to more severe stages.
