CLARIVEIN

CLARIVEIN

• The first in a new category of vein ablation. procedures that does not use heat or large amounts of numbing medicine.
• Called NTNT (non-thermal non-tumescent).
• Uses mechanical and chemical energy to destroy the vein.

How It Works

Clarivein uses mechanical and chemical energy to destroy the vein. The mechanical energy is supplied through a small angled wire that spins about 3000rpm. It creates small scratches in the vein lining.  While the wire is spinning, the catheter is slowly being pulled back. At the same time a liquid drug is infused into the vein through that same catheter.  The drug gets through the scratches in the lining made by the wire an into the muscle layer of the vein wall. This closes the entire vein permanently. After the one numbing shot required to get the catheter into the vein, patients only feel a vibrating sensation.

Dr Draughn was one of the first in the country and the first in North and South Carolina to use this. He presented results of long term follow up on this technique at a national meeting and has published the results in a scientific journal.

Bishawi, M., Bernstein, R., Boter, M., Draughn, D., Gould, CGF., Hamilton, C., & Koziarski, J. (2013, July). Mechanochemical Ablation in Patients with Chronic Venous Disease: A Prospective Multicenter Report. Phlebology, Vol. 29 (6), pp. 397-400.

• A compression garment is worn for several days afterwards to keep blood from getting trapped in the vein.
• Patients can resume normal activities as soon as they feel like it, usually later that day or the next.  
• Pain medications stronger than Tylenol, Advil or Aspirin are rarely if ever needed.
• An ultrasound has to be completed in a few days to make sure the vein has properly closed and no deep vein clots are present.

• Equally effective as radiofrequency or laser ablation.
• Doesn’t require extensive numbing medication.
• Can be used on veins close to the skin where heat would be harmful.
• Can be used on veins below the calf where heat would injure sensory nerves to the inner foot and ankle.