Treating veins is all we do.  No clinic in Knoxville or East Tennessee has more experience or preparation in the treatment of vein disease.  At East Tennessee Vein Clinic, all treatment is performed by a full time board certified phlebologist, a specialist in vein disease.  We believe that the treatment of vein disease merits a physician who dedicates their entire practice to the treatment of vein disease. We believe this combination of training and experience leads to better results of therapy.  The process of treatment consists of two steps:

1. Consultation is first done before any treatment.  Most insurances cover consultation when there are extensive abnormal veins on the leg with symptoms of leg pain.  If the consultation is entirely for cosmetic appearance without the presence of leg pain the charge is $75 which is later applied to the cost of cosmetic treatment.  If at the time of consultation more extensive problems are found on ultrasound which require remedy and treatment with ultrasound mapping, endovenous laser or ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy, an approval in writing is first obtained by our office from the insurance company showing treatment is covered by insurance and considered medically necessary.
2. If the spider veins are entirely cosmetic the patient is scheduled for cosmetic sclerotherapy.  The protocol of treatment of entirely cosmetic spider veins consists of taking photographs of the leg, measuring for compression stockings and beginning therapy.  Treatment consists of 30 minute sessions of sclerotherapy by the physician.  In the average patient the worst leg is treated on the first visit.  The next leg is treated one to two weeks later in order to allow the doctor to assess whether any alteration in the concentration of solution used is indicated.  After the first session in each leg there is usually about a 50% clearing in the appearance of spider veins even though all the veins were treated during the session.  This is the “first coat”.  6-8 weeks are allowed before the third and fourth sessions.  After the final session most patients will have had a 75-85% clearing in the appearance of the spider veins which is a significant improvement.  After each session of sclerotherapy the patient is asked to walk while still in the office.  Compression stockings are then worn during the day for the next three weeks which is the optimum time found by controlled studies to aid in the clearing of spider veins.