Vein disease

Break free from leg pain and varicose veins.

Alert Important Safety Information

Leg vein disease, or chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), occurs when the blood in an unhealthy vein flows backward (referred to as reflux) and the vein is left untreated. This can cause symptoms such as spider veins, varicose veins, discoloration, swelling, heaviness, raised veins, and leg ulcers.

Vein disease is common — you are not alone

Vein disease can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race. More than 190 million people have CVI or varicose veins globally.1 In the United States, more than 30 million people suffer from varicose veins or CVI, yet the majority remain undiagnosed and untreated.2

Electric blue circle

> 30 million
people in the United States with CVI or varicose veins

Navy blue circle

< 2 million
seek treatment each year

Pink circle

< 500,000
receive treatment each year

Circle chart in electric blue with navy and pink representing vein disease statistics

Medtronic is here to help you break free from leg pain and unsightly varicose veins caused by leg vein disease — so you can get back to feeling good again.

Understanding leg vein disease

Navy illustration of female at pink computer

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic issue. Leg vein disease can cause varicose veins and other painful symptoms that can impact how you live.

Learn about vein disease

Exploring treatment options

Leg illustration with pink, electric blue, and navy callout circles

Treating vein disease and varicose veins with Medtronic procedures is easier than you may think.

Explore vein treatments

Finding a doctor

Handheld mobile phone with female healthcare professional silhouette

Use this search tool to find a doctor who offers the VenaSeal™ procedure or ClosureFast™ procedure from Medtronic.

Find a doctor

Check your symptoms

Think you’re experiencing leg vein disease? Use our quick symptom checker to assess what's going on and learn how you could feel better. The journey to feeling good again starts here.

Check your symptoms

Common vein disease questions

What causes leg vein disease?

Healthy leg veins have valves that keep blood flowing to the heart. Vein disease develops when the valves stop working properly and cause blood to flow backward and pool in the lower leg veins, which is known as venous reflux.2

Back to top

How do I know if I have leg vein disease?

To start, assess your symptoms and risk factors using our quick symptom checker. Then, take the results to a doctor who specializes in vein health, and they can provide a formal diagnosis.

Many people do not know they have vein disease. And when left untreated, it can get worse over time. Here are a few signs and symptoms to be aware of3:

  • Varicose veins
  • Aching or pain
  • Swelling
  • Cramping
  • Heaviness or tiredness
  • Itching
  • Restlessness
  • Skin changes and/or discoloration
  • Open sores or ulcers

Back to top

What are my treatment options?

Leg vein disease treatments work by closing unhealthy veins and rerouting the blood to nearby healthy veins. The veins can be closed using thermal energy (heat) or by using a medical adhesive or foam, without heat. Learn more about Medtronic treatment options.

Back to top

How long will the treatment last?

  • The VenaSeal procedure delivers immediate and lasting vein closure with its proprietary medical adhesive formula, with a demonstrated 94.6% closure rate at five years.4-8
  • The ClosureFast procedure is the only radiofrequency ablation procedure with published long-term clinical data demonstrating safety and efficacy, with a 91.9% closure rate at five years.9

Back to top

How do I find a doctor to help me?

Doctors who specialize in understanding and treating leg vein disease will help you determine the best care journey for you. Find a doctor near you to schedule a consultation and get the answers you need.

Back to top

What does recovery look like?

Recovery should be discussed with your doctor, but most leg vein disease treatments are outpatient procedures where you go home the same day. The VenaSeal procedure is designed for patient comfort and reduced recovery time. Many patients return to normal activity immediately after the procedure. Your doctor can help you determine when you can return to normal activity. Patients treated with the ClosureFast procedure may resume normal activity more quickly than patients who undergo surgical vein stripping or laser ablation. With the ClosureFast procedure, the average patient typically resumes normal activity within a few days.10

Back to top

Does health insurance cover treatment?

Many insurance companies cover different types of procedures. Details for coverage are often found under insurance policies for “chronic venous insufficiency” or “varicose veins.” You will want to discuss your specific coverage plan details and requirements with your insurance provider prior to seeking treatment.

Back to top

Find a vein disease doctor or clinic near you

Enter your ZIP code to find a doctor who uses Medtronic VenaSeal or ClosureFast procedure treatments.

References

1

Strategic Market Assessment: Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Dymedex Consulting, LLC, November 2014.

2

Gloviczki P, Comerota AJ, Dalsing MC, et al. The care of patients with varicose veins and associated chronic venous diseases: Clinical practice guidelines of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum. J Vasc Surg. May 2011;53(5 Suppl):2S-48S.

3

Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/chronic-venous-insufficiency. Accessed March 10, 2022.

4

Morrison N, Gibson K, McEnroe S, et al. Randomized trial comparing cyanoacrylate embolization and radiofrequency ablation for incompetent great saphenous veins (VeClose). J Vasc Surg. April 2015;61(4):985-994.

5

Proebstle T, Alm J, Dimitri S, et al. Three-year follow-up results of the prospective European Multicenter Cohort Study on Cyanoacrylate Embolization for treatment of refluxing great saphenous veins. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. March 2021;9(2):329-334.

6

Gibson K, Ferris B. Cyanoacrylate closure of incompetent great, small and accessory saphenous veins without the use of postprocedure compression: Initial outcomes of a post-market evaluation of the VenaSeal System (the WAVES Study). Vascular. April 2017;25(2):149-156.

7

Almeida JI, Javier JJ, Mackay EG, Bautista C, Cher DJ, Proebstle TM. Thirty-sixth month follow-up of first-in-human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. September 2017;5(5):658-666.

8

Morrison N, Gibson K, Vasquez M, Weiss R, Jones A. Five-year extension study of patients from a randomized clinical trial (VeClose) comparing cyanoacrylate closure versus radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of incompetent great saphenous veins. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. November 2020;8(6):978-989.

9

Proebstle TM, Alm BJ, Gockeritz O, et al. Five-year results from the prospective European multicentre cohort study on radiofrequency segmental thermal ablation for incompetent great saphenous veins. BR J Surg. February 2015;102(3):212-218.

10

Almeida JI, Kaufman J, Gockeritz O, et al. Radiofrequency endovenous ClosureFast procedure versus laser ablation for the treatment of great saphenous reflux: A multicenter, single-blinded, randomized study (RECOVERY Study). J Vasc Interv Radiol. June 2009;20(6):752-759.

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.