VenaSeal.
Minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. Outpatient. Local anesthesia. Most patients walk in and walk out.
- 30 to 45minutes per session
- Localanesthesia, no general
- Outpatientno overnight stay
- 1 to 2 daystypical recovery
What is the VenaSeal Closure System?
The VenaSeal Closure System is an innovative, minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins.
It uses medical adhesive to seal affected veins without heat, sclerosants, or tumescent anesthesia. The technique reduces discomfort and eliminates nerve injury risk, particularly for small saphenous vein treatment.
In-office procedure with minimal recovery time.
VenaSeal treatment in Albuquerque, NM.
Most people who come to us about VenaSeal have already tried the obvious things. Compression stockings that get hot by ten in the morning. Elevating the leg at the end of a shift. The ache comes back anyway, usually worse after a long day standing on a concrete floor.
VenaSeal is performed at our Osuna Road clinic in northeast Albuquerque by Dr. Satyaki Banerjee, a board-certified interventional nephrologist and ASDIN-certified vascular access specialist. He performs the ultrasound mapping, he plans the treatment, and he treats the vein. You are not handed between providers between your consultation and your procedure day.
Patients reach the clinic from across the metro and the surrounding communities, including Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, and Placitas. Everything happens in the office. You arrive, you are treated, and most patients drive themselves home the same morning.
Closure rate at five years.
In a U.S. study, the VenaSeal system and thermal radiofrequency ablation treatments had similar clinical results at five years.
Who VenaSeal is not for.
The VenaSeal procedure is not recommended for individuals with any of the following:
- Thrombophlebitis migrans
- Acute superficial thrombophlebitis
- Previous hypersensitivity reactions to VenaSeal adhesive or cyanoacrylates
- Acute sepsis
What happens at your first visit.
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01
History and exam
We ask what the leg actually does across a day. When it aches, when it swells, whether the skin near the ankle has changed color, whether it interferes with sleep.
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02
Venous duplex ultrasound
A painless ultrasound maps which veins are refluxing and how badly. This study determines whether VenaSeal is appropriate for you, or whether another treatment fits your anatomy better.
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03
Benefits verification
Our office contacts your carrier with the ultrasound findings, confirms what your plan requires, and tells you what your expected share is before you commit to anything.
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04
A plan, in plain language
Dr. Banerjee reviews the ultrasound with you and explains which vein he would close, why, and what the alternatives are. If VenaSeal is not the right tool for your leg, he will say so.
A catheter, a closing vein, a quieter leg.
A short procedure.
A quiet footprint.
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01
Ultrasound guidance
Your physician locates the diseased vein with ultrasound.
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02
Catheter inserted
A small catheter is inserted into the diseased vein through a small puncture in the skin.
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03
Adhesive delivered
A medical grade adhesive is delivered through the catheter to seal the vein shut.
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04
Healthy circulation
Blood reroutes to nearby healthy veins. You walk out shortly after.
Recovery, honestly described.
VenaSeal has one of the shortest recoveries in vein care, but “no downtime” oversells it. Here is what most patients actually experience.
- Same day. You walk out of the office. Most patients drive themselves home and return to desk work, errands, or light activity the same afternoon.
- Days one to three. Mild soreness or a pulling sensation along the treated vein is common, along with some bruising at the catheter entry site. Over the counter acetaminophen is usually enough.
- The first week. Walking is encouraged. Avoid heavy lifting and long stretches of standing still, and hold off on hot tubs and soaking baths.
- Weeks two to six. Bulging surface veins soften and fade gradually as the body reabsorbs the closed vein. Aching and heaviness often improve well before the appearance does.
- Compression. Because VenaSeal seals the vein with adhesive rather than heat, many patients need little or no compression stocking wear afterward. Dr. Banerjee will tell you what applies to your leg.
- Follow up. A brief ultrasound at about one week confirms the vein closed and rules out clot extension.
Five reasons patients choose VenaSeal.
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A more comfortable experience. Designed to minimize discomfort during and after treatment.
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Simple outpatient procedure. In office, walk in walk out.
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No tumescent anesthesia. No multiple needle sticks along the vein.
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Less pain and bruising than thermal ablation.
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Faster recovery time than thermal ablation.
Does insurance cover VenaSeal?
In most cases, yes. When varicose veins and saphenous reflux cause documented symptoms such as pain, heaviness, swelling, skin changes, or ulceration, vein closure is treated as a medical procedure rather than a cosmetic one. Advanced Vascular is an insurance-billed practice, and vein closure is commonly covered by most major plans, including Medicare, when medical necessity criteria are met.
Coverage is never automatic, and any clinic that promises approval before seeing your ultrasound is guessing. Most carriers want three things on file before they authorize a closure procedure.
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A documented venous duplex ultrasound showing reflux above the carrier’s threshold, usually measured in the great or small saphenous vein.
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Documented symptoms, not appearance alone. Aching, heaviness, swelling, cramping, restless legs, skin discoloration, or a healed or open venous ulcer.
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A trial of conservative therapy, most often a period of graduated compression stockings, commonly six to twelve weeks depending on the plan.
We do not publish a flat price for VenaSeal, because for an insured patient the number that matters is not the charge, it is your deductible, your coinsurance, and how much of your out of pocket maximum you have already met this year. Two people having the identical procedure in the same week can owe very different amounts. Our office verifies your specific benefits after the ultrasound and puts that figure in front of you before you schedule.
If you are uninsured, or your plan denies coverage, say so at the consultation. We will be straightforward about self pay pricing rather than starting a workup you did not want to pay for. For a fuller walkthrough, read our guide to vein treatment cost and insurance coverage.
Frequently asked questions.
If you have a question we did not cover, the team is happy to walk you through it on the phone.
VenaSeal is a non thermal, non tumescent, minimally invasive procedure used to treat chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins.
A small catheter is inserted into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. A special medical grade adhesive is then delivered through the catheter to seal the vein shut.
The entire procedure typically takes 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the number of veins being treated.
Most patients report minimal to no pain during the procedure. Local anesthesia is used only at the catheter entry site.
In most cases yes. When varicose veins and saphenous reflux cause documented symptoms, vein closure is billed as a medical procedure rather than a cosmetic one. Advanced Vascular is an insurance-billed practice, and vein closure is commonly covered by most major plans, including Medicare, when medical necessity criteria are met. Carriers generally require a venous duplex ultrasound showing reflux, documented symptoms, and a trial of graduated compression stockings before they authorize treatment.
We do not publish a flat price, because for an insured patient the amount owed depends on the deductible, the coinsurance, and how much of the annual out of pocket maximum has been met. Our office verifies your specific benefits after the ultrasound and gives you your expected share before anything is scheduled.
Most patients return to desk work, errands, and light activity the same afternoon. Heavy lifting and long periods of standing still are usually limited for about a week.
Because VenaSeal seals the vein with adhesive rather than heat, many patients need little or no compression stocking wear afterward. Dr. Banerjee will tell you what applies to your leg at the follow up visit.
Radiofrequency ablation closes the vein with heat and requires tumescent anesthesia, a series of numbing injections along the vein. Varithena uses a foam sclerosant and is often chosen for tortuous or previously treated veins. VenaSeal uses adhesive, needs no tumescent anesthesia, and carries no thermal nerve injury risk, which matters most in small saphenous vein treatment. The ultrasound findings determine which option fits your anatomy. We compare all three side by side in our guide to laser, radiofrequency, VenaSeal and Varithena in Albuquerque.
Most patients can schedule directly with our Albuquerque office. Some insurance plans, particularly HMO products, require a referral from your primary care provider. Our staff will check your plan when you call.
In a United States study the VenaSeal system showed a 94.6 percent closure rate at five years. A small percentage of treated veins can reopen over time. Venous disease is progressive, so other veins can become symptomatic over time, which is why periodic follow up is recommended.
Related conditions and treatments.
VenaSeal treats one specific problem, a refluxing saphenous vein. Plenty of leg symptoms come from something else, and the ultrasound is what tells us which. These pages cover the rest of what we see in Albuquerque.
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Varicose veins. The condition VenaSeal most often treats, and what the bulging ropey veins on the calf and thigh actually are.
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Chronic venous insufficiency. The underlying valve failure that drives aching, swelling, and skin changes.
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Radiofrequency ablation. Heat based vein closure, the most common alternative to VenaSeal.
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Varithena. Foam treatment, often the better fit for twisting or previously treated veins.
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Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy. For branch veins too small or too winding for a catheter.
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Venous ulcers. When the skin near the ankle has already broken down, treatment moves up in urgency.
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Meet Dr. Banerjee. Training, credentials, and how he approaches vein care.
VenaSeal
at Advanced Vascular.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Banerjee. A focused, honest conversation about your options. No pressure.