Venefit^® (VNUS ClosureFast^®): The most modern treatment

Conventional stripping is still the most common treatment in Germany. Nevertheless, minimally invasive treatment methods are slowly but surely gaining acceptance. Of these, radiofrequency therapy Venefit® (VNUS ClosureFast®) is the most advanced and is recommended by the German medical associations. Around 20,000 procedures are performed in this country every year, and the number is rising steadily.

Growing acceptance

Due to the excellent clinical results, the modern treatment method is generally paid for by private health insurance companies and subsidies. In the meantime, there are also many statutory health insurers who have recognized the superiority of the procedure over conventional stripping. For this reason, they are increasingly covering the costs of outpatient surgery.

Procedure of the operation

Under local anesthesia, a modern medical instrument is inserted into the affected vessel through a small opening in the lower leg: the VNUS Closure Fast® catheter. Its tip is then pushed from the lower leg to the groin under ultrasound guidance, with a safety distance established from the junction with the deep vein. An anesthetic solution is then injected along the varicose vein to be treated. Now the 7 cm long metal element at the tip of the Closure Fast catheter is heated to 120 degrees with high-frequency current, i.e. radio waves.

The catheter is then pulled footward in sections as energy is released. In this way, the vein closes within a few minutes and is then completely broken down by the body. Of course, surgery under anesthesia is also possible if special circumstances make this necessary, such as extensive findings, the need to treat both legs, or acute fear of injections.

Convincing advantages

After the operation, the leg is dressed with plaster and pressure bandage. The patient can walk, shower or do sports again immediately and is not unable to work. Since no compression stockings are necessary, the treatment can also be performed in the warm season without any problems. Unlike stripping, the risk of infection and bleeding is low. In addition, there is rarely any pain from bruising.

Only by experienced physicians

Radiofrequency therapy is a particularly gentle method of efficiently treating varicose veins. However, it requires a high level of experience with catheter technology and duplex sonography. This is because the VNUS Closure Fast® catheter must be placed with extreme precision to prevent thrombosis in the deep vein. For this reason, there are only a few certified VNUS Closure Fast® centers in Germany. Dermatologie am Sendlinger Tor is one of them and has already successfully performed more than 2,000 radiofrequency treatments.

Learn more:
Venous disorders: Possibilities of prevention