The heart forces blood through the lungs for oxygen, and then out to the body parts and organs. The heart is an automatic pump, and this is a continual process.  To return blood to the heart, your leg veins must work against

gravity. Small, one-way valves in the veins open to allow blood to flow

upward, towards the heart, and then close to prevent it from flowing

backwards.

Varicose veins occur when the valves in superficial leg veins malfunction.

When this occurs, the valve may be unable to close, allowing blood that should be moving towards the heart to flow backward (called venous reflux). Blood collects in your lower veins causing them to enlarge and protrude.

The procedure called VNUS Closure utilizes a small filament to close the affected vein from the inside.  A local anesthetic is used, a small incision near the knee, and then under the guidance of ultrasound, a radio-frequency sheath is threaded up the vein to the predetermined location.  More anesthesia is used, mixed with fluid that both keeps the tissues of the leg cool, and compresses the vein as the filalment is fired and slowly extracted. Over the next few hours this fluid is absorbed by the body, and a compression stocking is applied in its place.

Afterwards, patients often see bruising and experience a slight soreness in the treated area.  This is due to the contraction of the treated vein - actually a sign that the treatment has been successful.