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Q
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What
is superficial venous reflux? |
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A
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Supervicial
venous reflux is a condition that develops when the valves that
usually keep blood flowing out of your legs become damages or diseased.
This causes blood to pool in your legs. Common symptoms of supervicial
venous reflux include pain, swelling, leg heaviness, and fatigue
as well as varicose veins in your legs.
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|
Q
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What
is the Closure® procedure? |
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A
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The Closure®
procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for superficial venous
reflux.
A thin catheter
is inserted into the vein through a small opening. The catheter
delivers reaiofrequency (RF) enerby to the vein wall, causing
it to head, collapse, and seal shut.
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|
Q
|
How
does the Closure® procedure work to treat venous insufficiency |
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A
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Since
valves can't be repaired, the only alternative is to re-route blood
flow through healthy veins. Traditionally, this has been done by
surgically removing (stripping) the troublesome vein from your leg.
The Closure® procedure provides a less-invasive alternative
to vein stripping by simply closing the problem vein instead. Once
the diseased vein is closed, other healthy veins take over and empty
blood from your leg.
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Q
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How
is the Closure® procedure different than vein stripping? |
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A
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During
a stripping procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in your groin
and ties off the vein after which it is removed from your leg through
a second incision in your calf. In the Closure® procedure, there
is no need for groin surgery. The vein remains in place and is simply
closed using a special (Closure) catheter inserted through a small
skin puncture. Vein stripping is usually performed in an operating
room, under a general anesthetic. The Closure® procedure is
performed on an outpatient basis typically using local or regional
anesthesia.
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|
Q
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How
long does the Closure® procedure take? |
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A
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The
Closure® procedure takes approximately 45 minutes. Plan on spending
2-3 hours at the facility on the day of treatment.
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|
Q
|
Where
will the procedure be performed? |
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A
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The
Closure® procedure is performed in the doctor's offices, surgical
centers and hospitals as an outpatient (day surgery) procedure.
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|
Q
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Is
the procedure painful? |
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A
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Your
physicial will give you a local or regional anesthetic to numb the
treatment area. Patients report feeling little if any pain during
the Closure® procedure.
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|
Q
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Will
the procedure require any anesthesia? |
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A
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Local
or regional anesthesia is used to numb the treatment area.
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|
Q
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How
quickly can I return to my normal activities? |
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A
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Many patients
can resume normal activities within 1-2 days. For a few weeks
following the treatment, your doctor may recommend a regular walking
regimen and suggest that you refrain from very strenous activities
(heavy lifring for example) or prolonged periods of standing.
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|
Q
|
How
soon will my symptoms improve? |
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A
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Most
patients report a noticeable improvement in their symptoms soon
after receiving the prodedure.
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|
Q
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Are
there any potential risks or complications? |
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A
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As
with any medical intervention, potential risks and complications
exist with the Closure procedure. Each patient should consult their
doctor to determine if their condition presents any special risks.
Your physician will review potential complications of the Closure
procedure at the consultation. Potential complications can include:
numbness or tingling (paresthesia), skin burns, vessel perforation,
thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, phlebitis, hematoma and infection.
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Q
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Is
there any scarring, bruising, or swelling after the treatment? |
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A
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Patients
report minimal to no scarring, bruising, or swelling following the
Closure procedure. On occasion, there may be slight tenderness or
numbness during the weeks after treatment.
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Q
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Is
the Closure® procedure suitable for everyone? |
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A
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Only
your doctor can tell you if the procedure in a viable option for
your vein problems.
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|
Q
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How
long will the treated vein remain shut? |
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A
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Current
published reports suggest that over 90% of treated veins remain
closed after 2 years.
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|
Q
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What
happens to the treated vein left behind in the leg? |
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A
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The
vein simply becomes a fibrous tissue after treatment. Over time,
the body will probably re-absorb this fibrous tissue. One study
reported that the treated vein is indistinguishable from other body
tissue one year after the Closure procedure was performed.
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Q
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Is
the Closure® procedure covered by my insurance? |
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A
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Insurance
coverage is determined on a per case basis. Most insurance companies
determine coverage for all treatments, including the Closure procedure,
based on medical necessity. Your physician can discuss your insurance
coverage further at the time of consultation.
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