Our Practice | Advanced Vein Care Altoona PA

Wearing compression stockings all day is often the first approach to try before moving on to other treatments. They steadily squeeze your legs, helping veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently. You will be asked to wear special compression stockings for a period of time. This is called conservative therapy. These stockings may improve your symptoms while wearing them but do nothing to address the underlying problem, and symptoms inevitably recur once the stockings are removed.

Most insurance companies require a trial of stocking wear before they will approve payment for minimally invasive treatment. The amount of compression with these types of stocking varies by type and brand, but here at Advanced Vein Care we always use and prescribe the 20-30 mmHG graduated compression strength.  You can buy compression stockings here and at most pharmacies and medical supply stores.

Dr. Faber may recommend duplex ultrasound to check blood flow in your veins and to look for blood clots. Duplex ultrasound combines traditional with Doppler ultrasound. Traditional ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the structures in your body, in this case the blood vessels and anything that may be blocking the flow of blood. Doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to create pictures of the flow or movement of the blood through the veins. The two types of ultrasound together paint a picture that helps Dr. Faber diagnose your condition. During this test, a handheld device will be placed on your body and passed back and forth over the affected area. The device sends and receives sound waves. A computer will convert the sound waves into a picture of the blood flow in your arteries and veins.

• Why do I have to have an ultrasound performed?

Ultrasound evaluation is how we determine the extent of your disease as well as the exact treatment that will work best for you.  Ultrasound results are needed by your insurance company to guarantee payment for your treatment.
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• I have had an ultrasound done at another facility…will that work?

No. Our ultrasound technologists are specially trained to obtain the information that we need for your customized treatment. It is unlikely that your prior study has the necessary information to plan your treatment and that your insurance requires. Your insurance will cover additional ultrasounds needed for diagnosis and treatment.

Sclerotherapy is the injection of a chemical agent into varicose veins that damages the lining of the vein walls. This causes the vein walls to swell and stick together then the body will turn them in to scar tissue and reabsorb them. There are several agents to choose from but we use sodium tetradecyl or polidocanol. Not only are they FDA approved for this use but have the least amount of discomfort and work very effectively to destroy the unwanted veins. Our providers perform the injections utilizing ultrasound, trans illumination or infrared light to identify the veins to be treated and ensure you will receive the best results.

The most common treatment for the large varicose veins is catheter based ablation procedures. This is done by accessing the vein with a needle, making a small incision and inserting a thin catheter into the vein. Heat is then applied, either by radio frequency or laser which causes the collagen within the vein walls to expand and contract until they shrink and shut down. Your body then turns the vein into scar tissue and reabsorbs it. All of these procedures are done under ultrasound guidance by Dr. David C. Faber and are done with just local anesthetic. These minimally invasive procedures cause little or no pain and provides superior results.

The technique for radio frequency and laser ablations are identical, the only difference is the type of heat wave used. Radio frequency generated heat is a lower heat but applied in segments to the inside of the vein while laser heat is a light energy and produces a higher heat that is applied to a very small area at a time. The decision on which type of procedure to use is based on your anatomy on ultrasound and other clinical information and is made on a case by case basis depending on your individual needs.

VenaSeal is the very latest vein-closure technique. VenaSeal uses a safe medical-grade adhesive or glue to permanently and gently close damaged veins so that blood flow can then naturally reroute to healthy veins. Once sealed closed, your body then naturally reabsorb the vein. All of these procedures are done under ultrasound guidance by Dr. David C. Faber and are done with local anesthetic. These minimally invasive procedures cause little or no pain and provides superior results. The decision on which type of procedure to use is based on your anatomy on ultrasound and other clinical information and is made on a case by case basis depending on your individual needs.

​ The minimally invasive surgical procedure of ambulatory microphlebectomy involves removing superficial veins through tiny incisions. This procedure is another option if one of the other types of treatments is not recommended. As with all of the other treatment options available, this is a walk in and walk out procedure with minimal pain. Dr. Faber performs all of these procedures himself under local anesthetic.

Spider veins are those fine red or blue veins visible on the skin surface and generally are less than 1 mm in diameter while reticular veins are those blue veins just below or on the skin surface that are 1 to 3 mm in diameter. These veins, while unsightly, do not generally cause any significant medical issues.  Insurances in general do not pay for the treatment of these types of veins. Spider veins and reticular veins are easily treated with either injections of the sclerotherapy agents or by use of a surface laser. Jerica Wills, CRNP, performs these procedures and will discuss the options with you to make sure you get the treatment option that best suits you.

Varithena®️ polidocanol injectable foam 1% is an FDA-approved prescriptive medicine is a minimally-invasive, non surgical treatment option used for a variety of varicose viens. During this procedure, the doctor uses a direct injection to administer a small amount of microfoam into the affected veins. The vein then collapses, and blood is redirected into healthier vessels nearby. Varithena improves symptoms related to or caused by varicose veins, and the appearance of varicose veins. Varithena is an effective, gentle varicose vein treatment that can help restore your sense of well-being and is an alternative to surgery.

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We use the Excel V™ Laser to treat a broad range of vascular skin conditions such as spider angiomas, venous lakes, smaller varicose veins and spider veins with quick results without injections or major side effects. Laser surgery works by sending strong bursts of light onto the vein, which makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.