Varicose Vein Treatments
525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10065
1283 York Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10065
2315 Broadway, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10024
At Weill Cornell Medicine, we offer advanced, minimally invasive and painless options for treating your varicose veins. Our experienced, expert interventional radiologists can help you achieve better health, minimize painful symptoms and help achieve your goals for your appearance.
Varicose veins can be managed by wearing compression stockings, elevating (raising) your legs regularly, as well as with consistent exercise. If these strategies are not effective for you, our interventional radiologists may recommend a minimally invasive procedure for treatment.
As our patient, you will receive personalized care. We will ask you questions about your symptoms and concerns, as well as explain which treatment options may be best for your veins.
Endovascular Laser Venous Treatment (ELVT)
ELVT is a painless procedure that uses radiofrequency (laser energy) to close veins that are causing pain. This procedure was developed by interventional radiologists and has proven to be highly successful.
During this procedure, your interventional radiologist inserts a catheter (long, thin tube) through a small cut in your thigh. This catheter has a small device attached to it that includes a laser. The catheter is guided to the affected vein, where laser energy is transmitted to the unhealthy tissue in the varicose vein, causing the vein to close up and blood to flow through other, healthier veins instead. Typically, this procedure takes less than an hour.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a painless, minimally invasive treatment option that is very similar to ELVT. This procedure uses short bursts of electrical energy, not laser energy, to treat the unhealthy tissue in the varicose vein, causing the vein to close up and blood to flow through other, healthier veins instead. Typically, this procedure takes less than an hour.
Sclerotherapy
This procedure is a painless, minimally invasive treatment option for small varicose veins that are close to the surface of the skin; the procedure takes about 30 minutes to complete.
During this procedure, your interventional radiologist uses a thin needle to inject a liquid medication that causes the unhealthy part of the vein to close up and blood to flow through other, healthier veins instead.