The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved a safe and effective new system called Closure that can heal varicose veins. The procedure involves making a small puncture near the knee and inserting a slender catheter into a problem vein, according to Robert Weiss, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The catheter delivers radio-frequency energy to the vein wall, causing it to heat. As the vein warms, it collapses and seals shut. Once the diseased vein has closed, other healthy veins will take over and empty blood from the legs. The symptoms of varicose veins should improve as normal blood flow resumes. Doctors found that 95 pecent of those who underwent six-month follow-up visits no longer had varicose veins or the pain and swelling associated with them. Patients can usually return to normal activities within days, unlike with previous techniques that could leave them bedridden for a month.

Closure - A Minimally Invasive Treatment Alternative to Vein Stripping

Patients are Trying New Heat Procedure to Close Varicose Veins - from Tara Parker-Pope

Radiofrequency Energy Closes Varicose Saphenous Veins - from Edward Susman