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Sep 4, 2007 1:41 pm US/Eastern
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New Solution For Varicose Vein Sufferers
by Dawn Hasbrouck
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Millions of women suffer from unsightly and painful varicose veins, but now there is a new procedure that can help get rid of the veins and get patients back on their feet much quicker.
Betty Ezekiel has suffered from painful varicose veins for decades. "I'm a nurse so I spend a lot of time on my legs. It got worse and worse and now it's very unsightly and uncomfortable."
Betty underwent the traditional "vein stripping' procedure 20 years ago. "It left rather severe scarring. The veins returned. They look almost as bad as they did then."
That's why Betty decided to try a new less invasive procedure called "closure fast." Doctors make a tiny incision and thread a catheter through the vein, using ultrasound technology, which emits radio frequency heat to shrink the veins. The procedure takes less than three minutes!
"With this new procedure most patients only need a day or two to recover, they can walk immediately after the procedure," said Dr. Palma Shaw of the Boston Medical Center.
Betty says she's seeing and feeling a big difference after her procedure. "I had torturous veins. Now they're really flat… The appearance is much better."
Since the new procedure is intended for patients who suffer from varicose veins severe enough to cause pain, it's generally covered by insurance.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)