Specialists in Symptomatic Varicose Veins

The Brigham and Women’s Hospital Vascular and Vein Care Centers are New England’s leading choice for the treatment of varicose veins.

If you have varicose veins, you are not alone. Up to 40 percent of women and 25 percent of men suffer from the condition. With the right care and the latest treatment options, varicose veins can be eliminated without surgery – quickly, comfortably and safely. Our centers provide the expertise of Brigham and Women’s doctors in comfortable and convenient Newton Corner, East Bridgewater and Foxborough locations. More patients choose BWH Vascular and Vein Care Centers for the treatment of symptomatic varicose veins than anywhere in New England.

Richard A Baum, MD

Chief, Division of Angiography and Interventional Radiology; The Herbert L Abrams Director of Angiography and Interventional Radiology; Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

MD Degree: The Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1987
Internship: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Internal Medicine, 1988
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Diagnostic Radiology, 1992
Fellowship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Interventional Radiology, 1993
Board Certifications: Diagnostic Radiology, 1993; Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 1995

Chieh-Min Fan, MD

Associate Director, Division of Angiography and Interventional Radiology; Assitant Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Medical Education:Yale University School of Medicine, 1989
Internship:Yale New Haven Hospital, Internal Medicine, 1990
Residency:Yale New Haven Hospital, Internal Medicine, 1992; Massachusetts General Hospital, Diagnostic Radiology, 1996
Fellowship:Massachusetts General Hospital, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 1997
Board Certification:Internal Medicine, 1992; Diagnostic Radiology, 1996; Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 1998

Alisa S Han, MD

Instructor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

MD Degree: Toho University School of Medicine, Japan, 1998
Residency: Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Family Practice, 2001; St. Marianna University Hospital, Diagnostic Radiology, 2004
Fellowship: Brigham's and Women's Hospital, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2008
Board Certifications: Family Practice, 2001 (Japan); Diagnostic Radiology, 2003 (Japan)

Susan K O'Horo, MD

Instructor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

MD Degree: University of Vermont College of Medicine, 1998
Internship: Rhode Island Hospital, General Surgery, 1999
Residency: Rhode Island Hospital, Diagnostic Radiology, 2003
Fellowship: Rhode Island Hospital, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2004
Board Certification: Diagnostic Radiology, 2003

Matthew P Schenker, MD

Instructor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

MD Degree: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2001
Internship: Christiana Hospital, Tranisitional Year, 2002
Residency: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Diagnostic Radiology, 2006
Fellowship: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2007
Board Certification: Diagnostic Radiology, 2006; Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2008

Michael S. Stecker, MD

MD Degree: State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1992
Internship: The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, General Surgery, 1993
Residency: The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, General Surgery, 1994; Nassau County Medical Center, Diagnostic Radiology, 1998
Fellowship: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 1999
Board Certifications: Diagnostic Radiology, 1998; Vascular & Interventional Radiology, 2002

Nonsurgical methods for treating varicose veins include:

- elevation of the legs You may be instructed to elevate your feet above the level of your heart three or four times a day for about 15 minutes at a time. If you need to sit or stand for a long period of time, flexing (bending) your legs occasionally can help keep blood circulating. If you have mild to moderate varicose veins, elevating your legs can help reduce leg swelling and relieve other symptoms.

- compression stockings These elastic stockings squeeze or compress the veins and prevent blood from flowing backward. In addition, compression stockings may help with healing of skin sores and prevention of additional sores. Compression stockings are effective in treating varicose veins if worn daily and may prevent the need for more invasive treatment.

- sclerotherapy Sclerotherapy is more commonly used as treatment for spider and smavaricose veins. This procedure involves a saline or chemical solution that is injected into the varicose veins that causes them to harden so that they no longer fill with blood. Blood that would normally return to the heart through these veins returns to the heart by way of other veins. The veins that received the injection will eventually shrivel and disappear. The scar tissue is absorbed by the body.

- laser or radiofrequency catheter ablation The physician inserts a tiny fiber into a varicose vein through a catheter. The fiber sends out laser energy that destroys the diseased portion of your varicose vein. This causes the vein to clot, scar, and shrink. High radiofrequency energy can also be delivered by a catheter inserted into a varicose vein. The tip of the catheter heats the walls of the varicose vein and destroys the vein tissue. Once destroyed, the vein is no longer able to carry blood and is absorbed by your body.

Surgical approaches to the treatment of varicose veins include:

- vein stripping This procedure involves tying off all varicose veins associated with the leg's main superficial vein and removing it from the leg. The removal of veins from the leg will not affect the blood circulation in the leg as deeper veins will be able to take care of the increased blood circulation.

- small incision avulsion This procedure involves passing hooks through small incisions, and may be done alone or together with vein stripping or laser/radiofrequency catheter treatment.

- transilluminated powered phlebectomy This vein removal procedure makes use of a bright light to illuminate the vein. A device is passed through a tiny incision and removes the vein with suction.