FAQ
Here are a few of the questions we are asked most frequently. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please get in contact by either giving us a call or by using our contact form.
Costs
Treatment of Superficial Venous Reflux and Varicose Veins (including Phlebitis, Varicose Eczema and Leg Ulcers):
- £3895 (one leg)
- £4895 (both legs)
Leg Spider Vein Treatment by Microsclerotherapy is £400 per session.
No, the cost of the consultation is separate and it is not taken off the cost of treatment.
No. For consultations we ask for full payment at the time of booking. For treatment we ask for full payment at least two weeks before the date of the procedure.
The treatment programme includes fee includes:
- treatment of major vein reflux by Endovenous Laser Ablation, treatment of varicose veins by Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy and Phlebectomy;
- treatment of perforator veins;
- medical compression hosiery;
- follow up appointment after the initial treatment;
- duplex scans and reports;
- any unscheduled appointments for concerns;
- remote consultations if required (by telephone and email}
Consultation
You will see the specialist in a private room. The specialist will ask about your concerns and take a full medical history. You will then be examined. A private area is provided for you to remove your lower clothing. You keep your underwear on and you will be given a pair of modesty briefs to put on over your own underwear. You will be examined in the standing position and your legs will be inspected from the groin area to the feet. With your permission, clinical photographs may be taken at this stage. These photographs are part of your medical records and will be kept securely.
A full duplex ultrasound scan examination of both legs is performed while you are standing. The veins will be examined from the groin area to below the knee and the back of your calf is also examined.
The appointment is up to 1 hour in duration. If your medical history is very complex or if the medial examination or scan is complicated, you may be asked to return for a second appointment. There is no additional fee if this is necessary. Please bring a list of your medication with you that can be filed in your records. Some patients with a complicated medical history, help us by writing it all down in advance and bringing the details with them.
You will be met by our nurse at the door. She will greet you and complete the COVID-secure questions we ask everyone who enters the clinic. The nurse will then invite you to gel your hands and to wear a mask. You will be escorted to the consultation room where you will meet your specialist, Dr Gajraj. With your permission, the nurse will remain in the room.
Yes, you can bring one adult with you. However, we regret that we cannot welcome children under 18 years into the clinic.
Yes, there will be plenty of time for you to ask questions. In fact, we encourage you to do so as part of our consent process. You may bring a relative or friend with you to the consultation room.
Treatment
An ultrasound scan is performed on the day of your treatment and the veins to be treated are marked with a pen on the skin. You lie on a treatment couch and your leg is cleaned with antiseptic and covered with drapes. Depending on which veins are to be treated, you may be on your back or your front. At our clinic we monitor your heart with ECG leads on your chest and your oxygen levels are measured with a monitor attached to your finger. A nurse is at your side to offer reassurance and to assess your wellbeing. Your vein specialist and the assisting nurse carry out the procedure. Three members of the team are with you in the treatment room. You wear a treatment gown and your specialist and assisting nurse will wear sterile gloves and sterile gowns.
In line with COVID-security measures, eye protection and masks are worn. The treatment room is specially ventilated. Fresh air is brought into the room from outside through a medical-grade filter and after it has circulated around the room, it is vented to the outside again.
Endovenous means inside the vein, so the next thing the vein specialist has to do is to insert the fine laser fibre into the vein. A small amount of local anaesthetic is injected into the skin and once the skin is numb, a needle is inserted into the vein. The needle is the same size as one that might be used for a blood test. Through this needle, a fine laser fibre is inserted into the vein to be treated. These steps in the procedure are guided by ultrasound.
Once the laser fibre is in the correct position, as judged by ultrasound, the vein is numbed by a series of local anaesthetic jabs.
All staff and the patient put on laser safety specs as a precaution. The laser is then activated. As the laser fibre is gently withdrawn along the length to be treated, the vein is sealed, cauterised and sterilised.
The laser equipment gives out an activation signal when it is on. You will hear a buzzing noise and may smell or taste something but you won’t feel any pain. If you are having both legs treated the process is repeated on the other leg. The laser is removed and the needle puncture covered with a small dressing.
The EVLA treatment takes about 20-30 minutes per leg. If you have large varicose veins, you may benefit from Foam Sclerotherapy or Phlebectomy or a combination of all three (EVLA, Foam Sclerotherapy and Phlebectomy). After your leg is treated, a compression stocking is then put on.
After treatment, we monitor your blood pressure, check you are comfortable and we check your stocking and dressings. Our nurse discusses what you can expect after going home and she gives you a written advice sheet with telephone numbers you can ring if you have any concerns. Approximately 3-4 hours after you enter the clinic, you will be allowed home. It is advisable not to drive after your treatment and we recommend that you are driven home by a friend or relative.
We advise you to wear your compression stockings day and night for 2 days. Thereafter, you can take them off and have a shower. Most people find they are more comfortable if they wear the stockings during the day (taking them off at night) for another week or two. If the stockings are not comfortable, leave them off (but bring them to future appointments).
There are very few restrictions after your treatment. We advise that you start driving when you feel confident to perform an emergency stop, usually 48 hours after treatment when the stockings are first removed. Most people experience a tightening sensation along the length of the treated vein and some get pain in that area around 5 days later but this is usually mild. Normal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen are normally sufficient to relieve it.
We treat 9 out of 10 of our patients, in “one go”. Some people require additional scheduled appointments for Foam Sclerotherapy or Phlebectomy. If your veins are extensive or complicated, your specialist will advise you after your initial consultation whether all the treatment can be treated in one treatment session.
No. We do everything we can to ensure that you are comfortable during the procedure. Two nurses assist in the treatment room. One nurse assists the vein specialist and one monitors your well-being during the entire procedure. If you feel uncomfortable at any time during the procedure, let your nurse know.
- Yes. At the Veincare Centre, we believe that vein procedures are best carried out under local anaesthetic on a walk-in walk-out basis. By avoiding general anaesthetics and a prolonged recovery period, there is virtually no risk to your heart and breathing and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is extremely rare.
Complications after EVLA, Foam Sclerotherapy and Phlebectomy are very rare. They include:
- Thrombophlebitis: EVLA works by heating the wall of the vein and an inevitable and deliberate response to the heat is an inflammation of the vein wall. You may feel the vein that has been treated become hard and tender. Varicose veins that feed from the treated vein may also become hard and lumpy as part of the healing process. The phlebitis will resolve over a few weeks.
- Nerve damage: As nerves can lie alongside the veins these may also become damaged by the heat or by Phlebectomies and a few patients notice small patches of numbness on their skin. These usually resolve over a few months.
- Burns: Although it is possible to burn the skin with the laser, in practice this is very rare indeed.
- DVT: A DVT is a blood clot in the deep veins in the leg. It is a recognised complication of surgery and can be dangerous if the clot breaks away and travels to the lungs. The risk of getting a DVT after our vein treatments is very low.
In line with National Guidance, all our patients are risk-assessed for DVT. If for any reason it is thought that you may be at particular risk of DVT (or any other potential complication), this will be discussed with you in detail at your consultation.
We have a Quality Assurance programme at the VeinCare Centre that monitors the quality and safety of our treatment against National Standards. In the last 5 years, we have had no serious complications.
