What is Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)?

Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic venous insufficiency, the root cause of spider veins, varicose veins, and most other vein problems. This procedure involves channeling thermal energy into the diseased vein to make it collapse, rerouting the accumulated blood into healthier leg veins.

Radiofrequency ablation is performed as a simple, in-office procedure under local anesthesia. It usually takes two sessions. The first session is meant for consultation and diagnosis, and the second session is vein treatment. You must only rely on highly-skilled, board-certified vein doctors in Maryland for your radiofrequency ablation.

How does radiofrequency ablation work?

To understand how radiofrequency ablation works, you must understand how vein disease occurs. Chronic venous insufficiency is responsible for most vein problems, including spider veins and varicose veins. This is a circulatory disorder wherein the collapse of vein valves responsible for smooth, one-way blood circulation to the heart leads to the accumulation of blood in leg veins. Gravity forces blood to flow backward and accumulate in the leg veins, eventually leading to increased vascular pressure and dilation, leading to spider veins and varicose veins.

Radiofrequency ablation treats varicose veins and its root cause — venous insufficiency. The vein doctor makes a small incision on the skin’s surface to insert a specialized catheter into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. Once the catheter is lodged in place, the vein doctor delivers tumescent anesthesia composed of pain medication to protect the surrounding tissues. The catheter is finally activated to generate radiofrequency waves and destroy the diseased vein responsible for your vein problems. The accumulated blood reroutes into healthier leg veins.

Radiofrequency ablation is one of the safest and most effective minimally invasive vein treatments. It has a 98% success rate and negligible risk of complications. The procedure concludes within 30 minutes, and there’s no downtime. You can also receive insurance coverage for radiofrequency ablation because it is medically necessary.

What happens after radiofrequency ablation?

Radiofrequency ablation doesn’t involve any downtime. You can start walking and resume most of your daily activities immediately after the treatment, though you should avoid strenuous workouts for a few days. Your vein doctor will also ask you to wear ACE bandages for about 24 hours and compression stockings for a week to minimize the risk of vein disease recurrence. Most patients schedule radiofrequency ablation during their lunch break.

Chronic venous insufficiency is an extremely dangerous condition that can be potentially fatal in the worst-case scenarios. If you notice the signs and symptoms of vein disease, such as leg heaviness, restless leg syndrome, frequent leg cramps, spider veins, and varicose veins, please contact our vein doctors immediately. Radiofrequency ablation is one of the safest and simplest treatments for vein disease, but it must be performed by experts.

The Maryland Vein Center treats all patients individually. Our vein doctors examine your leg veins, review your medical history, and discuss your symptoms to curate the ideal vein treatment plans for you. We also use the safest techniques to ensure safe results without harsh side effects or complications. Our considered approach to vein care allows us to maintain a perfect track record. Please schedule an appointment with our vein doctors to explore your vein treatment options in Maryland.

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