Varithena™ vs. EVLT: Which Vein Treatment Fits Your Needs?

With their swollen, rope-like appearance, varicose veins can make you feel self-conscious about showing your legs. They can also leave your legs feeling perpetually tired, achy, and heavy as underlying vein damage progresses.  

Ready to clear bothersome varicosities from your skin? See our experts at Vascular Vein Centers. As the only IAC-accredited vein testing specialists in Central Florida dedicated exclusively to venous care and leg health, we offer a full scope of minimally invasive vein clearance solutions to match every treatment need.

Here, we take a closer look at two top treatments — endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) and Varithena™ — and explain which might be the better option for your varicose veins. 

Minimally invasive vein clearance basics 

The term vein ablation covers various minimally invasive procedures that seal off and collapse damaged varicose veins from the inside. These nonsurgical treatments rely on different “agents” to force vein closure and clearance, such as:

• Controlled thermal (heat) energy
• A liquid, foam, or adhesive agent 
• A mechanochemical mechanism 

Whether delivered into the damaged vein with a specialized catheter or a few injections, ablative vein treatments irritate the lining of the targeted vessel, forcing it to close and collapse inward. As blood reroutes to healthy veins, the sealed veins gradually fade away. 

Understanding endovenous laser therapy

Recognized as the gold-standard solution for moderate-to-large varicose veins as well as venous insufficiency, endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) uses heat (thermal energy) to prompt rapid collagen contraction within the vessel wall, forcing its collapse and closure.    

EVLT process

After ultrasound vein mapping and treatment planning, we numb the vessel pathway with an anesthetic fluid. Using continuous ultrasound guidance, we make a small incision at one end of the targeted vein and then thread a thin laser fiber catheter down its length. 

Once the laser fiber reaches the end of the vein, we activate the thermal tip. As we slowly withdraw the catheter, the laser heats the vessel along the way, sealing it shut from the inside. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. 

About the Varithena microfoam method

Most effective for small- to mid-sized varicose veins as well as heavily twisted varicosities, Varithena uses an FDA-approved prescription “microfoam” medication (polidocanol) to fill a damaged vessel, forcing it to close and collapse.   

Varithena process

Using ultrasound guidance to map and continuously visualize the damaged vein, Varithena involves making one or two “needle sticks,” or tiny injections of microfoam medication, into pre-planned points along the targeted vessel. No anesthetic is necessary.  

The liquid foam expands to fill the vessel, displacing the blood and damaging the vascular wall lining. This causes the vein to close, collapse, and gradually fade from view. Varithena is a quick, virtually painless treatment that also takes about 30 minutes.

EVLT or Varithena: Which is right for you?

Both EVLT and Varithena are highly effective ablative vein treatments: Each can close damaged veins above or below the knee, clear them from the skin surface, and alleviate associated symptoms such as leg achiness or heaviness. 

Still, each of these treatments works best in certain cases:    

When we recommend EVLT

Because it requires the complete insertion of a laser fiber catheter down the length of the damaged blood vessel, EVLT works best for mid-sized to large varicose veins that are relatively straight, rather than those that are heavily twisted. 

It’s the preferred first-line treatment for large, straight “trunk” veins (e.g., great saphenous vein), as well as severe venous insufficiency or those with significant valve failure.  

When to choose Varithena

Varithena vein closure uses injections of a fluid microfoam, which can seamlessly travel through winding, heavily twisted vessels that a catheter can’t safely navigate. This makes it an ideal choice for complex, serpentine, or hard-to-reach varicosities.    

It’s a top treatment choice for tortuous (twisting) varicose veins, smaller branch varicosities of the great saphenous system, and smaller, below-the-knee segments that persist after a previous trunk vein treatment with EVLT.  

Varicose vein treatment in Central Florida

Are you ready to clear unwanted varicose veins and resolve related lower-extremity symptoms? Our experienced team at Vascular Vein Centers can assess your vein problem and tailor your treatment plan to your exact needs for optimal vein clearance results.

Call 877-244-8558 to schedule your evaluation at the nearest Vascular Vein Centers location. We have six offices in College Park of Orlando, Kissimmee, Waterford Lakes of East Orlando, Lake Mary, Davenport/Haines City, and The Villages, Florida.