VenaSeal

The Iowa Clinic is proud to be the first in Des Moines to offer VenaSeal for treatment of venous reflux disease.

What is venous reflux disease?

Healthy leg veins have valves that keep blood flowing to the heart. Venous reflux disease, also known as chronic venous disease, develops when the valves stop working properly and allow blood to flow backward (i.e., reflux) and pool in the lower leg veins. If venous reflux disease is left untreated, symptoms can worsen over time. As a result, vein valves will not close properly, leading to symptoms such as

• Varicose veins
• Leg pain, aching or cramping
• Leg or ankle swelling
• Leg heaviness and fatigue
• Skin changes or rashes
• Ulcers, open wounds or sores

More than 190 million people have CVI or varicose veins globally. More than 30 million Americans suffer from varicose veins, or the more serious form of venous disease called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), yet the majority remains undiagnosed and untreated.

Once the valves in the leg stop working properly, they cannot be repaired. Treatment options available include closing or removing the damaged vein and then redirecting blood flow to healthy veins. Traditionally, surgical stripping or heat-based treatment options are used. However, the VenaSeal™ closure system treats the diseased saphenous veins, without traditional heating or stripping the vein out of the leg.

What is VenaSeal?

The VenaSeal™ closure system is the only non-thermal, non-tumescent, non-sclerosant procedure approved for use in the U.S. that uses an advanced medical adhesive that closes the diseased vein. This unique approach eliminates the risk of thermal nerve injury that is sometimes associated with certain thermal-based procedures. The procedure is administered without the use of tumescent anesthesia, minimizing the need for multiple needle sticks.

The VenaSeal™ closure system is designed to minimize patient discomfort and reduce recovery time. Patients report minimal-to-no bruising post procedure. Unlike other varicose vein treatments, there is rapid return to normal activities.

How it Works

The VenaSeal™ closure system delivers a small amount of specially formulated medical adhesive to the diseased vein. The adhesive closes the vein and blood is rerouted through nearby healthy veins.

Unlike other heat-based treatments, the VenaSeal™ closure system does not require multiple injections of a dilute local anesthetic (tumescent anesthesia), enabling patients to rapidly return to normal activities following the procedure. The VenaSeal™ closure system also eliminates the risk of burning or nerve injury associated with thermal based procedures and may not require the use of compression stockings post procedure.

1. Preparation of the VenaSeal™ closure system

A trained clinician fills a syringe with the medical adhesive, which is inserted into the VenaSeal™ closure system’s dispensing gun that is attached to a catheter.

2. Delivery of adhesive and compression sequences

The catheter is advanced into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. The catheter is placed in specific areas along the diseased vein and the clinician conducts a series of trigger pulls to deliver the medical adhesive. Compression is applied to the leg during the procedure.

Learn More

To learn more about the clinical and lifestyle benefits of VenaSeal, insurance coverage, and potential risks, please contact The Iowa Clinic Vein Therapy Center at 515.875.9090.