Keeping your veins and vascular system healthy makes sure your body gets the blood and oxygen it needs. Vascular disease affects over 78 million Americans, including millions of people who haven’t been diagnosed yet. Our board-certified doctors, vascular surgeons and advanced practice clinicians specialize in treating conditions that affect your veins and vascular system.

At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, we use the latest research and technology to make sure you get the best treatment available for conditions like varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis and vasculitis. Our vascular surgeons work closely with primary care doctors, neurologists, gastroenterologists and other specialists so you get the care you need every step of the way.

With many locations in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, including our Heart and Vascular Center, expert care is always nearby.

Symptoms of vascular disease can be different from person to person. People with vascular disease may feel a burning or itching sensation in the veins. Their legs can feel heavy. Sometimes, their extremities can swell, especially their legs, ankles and feet.

If you’re concerned about any unusual symptoms, it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with one of our primary care doctors. Our primary care doctors are experts in diagnosing hundreds of conditions. If your care requires additional expertise, we’ll connect you directly with one of our vascular specialists.

Our doctors will give you a physical exam and listen to you to understand your symptoms. If we need more information to reach a diagnosis, we might use one of these common tests:

This test compares the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm. We’ll check your blood pressure with a blood pressure cuff. We may also use an ultrasound device to check your blood flow. In some cases, we might ask you to walk on a treadmill and take blood pressure readings before and after you walk.

An ultrasound produces of a photo of your arteries and veins. During an ultrasound, we will run a small, handheld device over the affected area. This device uses sound waves to create images so we can check for blockages and damage.

These tests get photos of the inside of your veins and arteries by using dye that helps veins to show up in an X-ray. In some cases, we might recommend catheter angiography to diagnose and treat some vein disorders at the same time. In this type of test, a catheter with dye is inserted through an artery in your groin and guided to the affected vein or artery. If needed, we’ll use anesthesia to keep you comfortable during the procedure.

Since there are a variety of vein and vascular conditions, there are also a variety of treatments available. Our doctors will work with you to determine which treatment options will work best for you. Common treatment options include:

There are a variety of medicines available to help treat vein and vascular conditions. Depending on your condition, we might prescribe medicines to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol or thin the blood to prevent blood clots.

The closure procedure is a minimally invasive method to treat the saphenous vein. It involves inserting a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into the vein. The catheter tip heats the walls of the vein using radiofrequency energy to ablate (seal with heat) the vein. Blood flows through healthy veins around the closed vein. Only nonworking veins are treated, no incisions or needles are used, and the closed vein will eventually disappear. Ablation has a very high success rate – 98%.

Sclerotherapy is a common treatment for varicose veins and spider veins. During this treatment, a small amount of a solution will be injected into your damaged veins. This solution will irritate the vein walls and cause the damaged vein to close, redirecting blood to your other veins. The closed vein will eventually turn to scar tissue and disappear.

Angioplasty is used to clear blood clots and other blockages from your veins or arteries. Here, we guide a small device through your vein or artery using a thin tube and a small tool that’s similar to a balloon. When the tube reaches a block, it will insert a small balloon into the blockage. When your doctor inflates the balloon, the vein or artery will clear. In some cases, a small, mesh tube called a stent will be inserted into the vein to keep blood flowing through the affected vein or artery.

Laser treatment, also called thermal ablation, can be effective for smaller varicose veins. Your doctor will use a laser to shoot strong bursts of light into the vein. This will cause the vein to close and fade over time.

This treatment, sometimes called thrombolytic therapy, helps break up blood clots. During this treatment, you’ll be given a strong, clot-busting medicine through an IV or catheter. Sometimes, we might recommend breaking up larger clots manually with a small medical device that is guided through your veins if using medicine won’t be effective.

Vascular surgery is used to treat conditions that affect the arteries in your neck, stomach, arm, legs and feet. Our dedicated team of vascular surgeons has years of experience evaluating and treating a full range of vascular conditions.