Arteries channel blood from the heart to the organs and tissues of the body. Veins are the blood vessels that return blood from the body to the heart. To keep blood moving forward, veins have small delicate valves to prevent backflow of blood. When the valves in the leg veins have been damaged by injury or a previous blood clot, they stop working properly which is called venous insufficiency. In this condition blood refluxes down the leg veins, causing swelling and pain.  Patients often describe achy, burning discomfort, throbbing, restlessness and swelling in their calves at the end of a long day of standing or sitting. This progresses to dryness and discoloration of the skin (hyperpigmentation) and can may lead to leg ulcerations and infections.

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic concern as they are the indication of underlying venous disease. A comprehensive venous evaluation identifies the source of the problem, which may involve compression of large pelvic veins by overlying arteries, or insufficiency of the deep or superficial veins of the legs. For those patients whose symptoms persist despite conservative measures, we offer outpatient minimally invasive procedures to identify and correct the cause of venous insufficiency and treat painful or unsightly veins superficial veins utilizing a variety of techniques.

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Dr. Schmetterer specializes in treating the following conditions:

• Varicose veins
• Leg swelling
• Leg pain
• Leg heaviness
• Skin discoloration
• Leg or foot ulcers