Ambulatory Phlebectomy

If bulging, twisted varicose veins are causing leg pain and interfering with your quality of life, you might need an ambulatory phlebectomy to treat them. At Tallahassee Vein & Face Clinic, Charles W. Kent, MD, and the vein care team offer in-office, minimally invasive ambulatory phlebectomy procedures to remove the diseased vein and improve your leg health.

What is an ambulatory phlebectomy?

An ambulatory phlebectomy is an in-office procedure to treat venous insufficiency. The Tallahassee Vein & Face Clinic team only needs to make small incisions near a diseased vein to remove it with a hook.

You might need an ambulatory phlebectomy to treat painful varicose veins, which are large, twisted veins that develop due to dysfunction in the valves of the vein.

When working properly, the valves inside veins keep blood flowing in one direction. If the valve isn’t closing fully, it can lead to blood pooling in the vein which causes an enlargement in the blood vessel.

What can I expect during an ambulatory phlebectomy?

During an ambulatory phlebectomy, your provider numbs the area around your damaged vein with a local anesthetic. This keeps you comfortable by minimizing pain during your procedure.

After making small incisions in your skin to access your vein, the team inserts a hook in each incision and pulls the diseased vein through. They then remove the segment of the vein between the incisions.

The team generally removes several sections of your vein during your first ambulatory phlebectomy procedure because the vein is stretched and tough. This ensures that it takes less time to dissolve and disappear.

What are the benefits of an ambulatory phlebectomy?

The primary benefit of an ambulatory phlebectomy is that the procedure causes much less scarring than a traditional phlebectomy, a surgery that removes the entire vein from near the top of the thigh to the ankle.

This procedure is also kinder to your body, and you can expect to recover much faster than you might with a traditional ambulatory.

Am I a candidate for an ambulatory phlebectomy?

To determine if you’re a candidate for an ambulatory phlebectomy, your provider at Tallahassee Vein & Face Clinic reviews your medical history and evaluates the severity of your varicose veins.

If they determine sclerotherapy, another minimally invasive treatment option for varicose veins, wouldn’t be effective at treating your damaged veins, you might be a candidate for an ambulatory phlebectomy.