What is a telangiectasia?
A telangiectasia is a confluence of dilated intradermal venules of less than 1 mm in caliber. Telangiectasia are more commonly known as spider veins and thread veins. They can be pink, red and have different hues in the red to purple blue range. Spider veins occur in 15 % of men and 25 % of women in the general population.In the classification of veins, telangiectasias are classified as type I veins. Spider veins are amenable to laser therapy and sclerotherapy. We utilize both traditional sclerotherapy and dynamic foam sclerotherapy to treat the feeder veins underlying telangiectasias - as well, we use topical lasers to obliterate telangiectasias.
What is a reticular vein?
A reticular vein is a dilated bluish intradermal vein, usually from 1 mm in diameter to less than 3 mm in diameter. They are usually tortuous. 
Reticular veins are also known as blue veins and intradermal varices. In the classification of veins, reticular veins are considered type III veins. Telangiectasias (type I veins) can result from refluxing reticular veins. When such reticular veins are associated with telangiectasias, they are called "feeder veins". If sclerotherapy is chosen as the treatment for a particuar patient, the reticular veins should be injected first and the telangiectasias last. Until the reticular veins are treatd first, telangiectasias should not be targeted so as to avoid early recurrence. Expertise at the Vein Treatment Center, Buffalo, for reticular veins include dynamic foam sclerotherapy and ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy, available only in our facility. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian has demonstrated this technique on The Doctors TV Show in 2009 and has garnered national attention and was involved in initiating the first such program in Western New York!
What is a varicose vein?
A varicose vein is a subcutaneous dilated vein larger than 3 mm in diameter in the upright posture. Varicose veins are also known as varix, varices and varicosities. Varicose veins can occur in ten quadrants: anterior thigh, medial thigh, lateral thigh, posterior thigh, anterior leg, medial leg, lateral leg and posterior leg. They can also occur in the medial and lateral ankle. Varicose veins pool blood in stagnant segments and get inflamed causing chronic phlebitis. If these symptoms of aching, pain, itching, burning and cramping are not relieved with use of compression stockings, they are amenable to the latest techniques that we employ at the Vein Treatment Center. Techniques include a combination of endovenous ablation procedures to treat underlying venous insufficiency (venous reflux disease), microphlebectomy and dynamic foam sclerotherapy.
What is Superficial Thrombophlebitits ?
Superficial thrombophlebitis or superficial vein thrombosis with phlebitis is a condition where superficial veins thrombose or clot and cause induration of the overlying skin and erythema (redness) and palpable warmth over the course of the vein. Once the phlebitis is treated with anti-inflammatory medications, the vein should be removed using microphlebectomy technique to avoid trophic changes and hyperpigmentation of the overlying skin.
Watch a NEW VIDEO of Superficial Thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein by Dr Karamanoukian
What is corona phlebectatica?
A fan shaped pattern of small intradermal veins on the medial (inside) or lateral (outside) aspect of the ankle and foot is called corona phlebectatica. Corona implies that they "crown" the ankle. Corona phlebectatica is thought to be an early sign of advanced venous reflux disease. This reflux typically originates at the saphenofemoral junction with venous blood refluxing into the great saphenous vein. Less commonly, saphenopopliteal reflux into the lesser (short) saphenous vein is the underlying cause of corona phlebectatica. Other names for corona phlebectatica include "malleolar flare" and "ankle flare" .
Watch video of corona phlebectasia which has been injected with foam sclerotherapy by Dr Karamanoukian:
What is Edema?
Edema is tissue fluid in the skin and subcutaneous (fat) and is measured by the amount of skin indentation left with digital pressure. It is associated with venous reflux disease.
What is Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is the discoloration (bronze-brown or purple) of the skin in patients with chronic venous reflux disease and chronic inflammation of varicose veins. Hyperpigmentation occurs in the ankles, feet and lower legs in patients with venous disease.
What is Stasis Dermatitis?
Stasis Dermatitis is a type of dermatitis related to chronic venous reflux disease and inflamed varicose veins. It can be a blistering, weeping or scaling skin eruption and occurs in the legs. Stasis dermatitis is also called gravitational eczema and venous eczema. Gravitational eczema is what the name implies, eczema in the lowest parts of the leg where there is most effect by gravity, i.e. venous reflux with elevated venous pressures due to this venous load (venous hypertension). Again, stasis dermatitis is most comon in the gaiter areas of the legs. Once the inflamed cords of veins are treated, venous eczema will go away.
What is Lipodermatosclerosis?
Lipodermatosclerosis is chronic inflammation with resultant fibrosis of the skin where the skin of the lower leg becomes scarred in a circumferential manner and the leg looks tapered like the 'chicken leg'. Lipodermatosclerosis has been identified under many different names for years, as membranous lipodystrophy, lipomembranous fat necrosis and stasis associated lipomembranous panniculits, among others. The hallmark of lipodermatosclerosis is the leathery skin, brown discoloration, hyper and hypopigmentation of the skin, and circuferential or near circumferential scarring and shrinking of the extremtiy.
Watch New Viddeo about lipodermatosclerosis by Dr. Karamanoukian
What is Atrophie Blanche?
Atrophie Blanche is translated from the French language, it literally means 'white atrophy'. It is often circular, whitish and atrophic skin associated with skin hyperpigmentation. This is a sign of severe venous disease.
Click in the video clip below to see this clinical condition:
What is a Venous Stasis Ulcer?
A venous stasis ulcer is a nonhealing wound in the legs and ankles related to chronic venous insufficiency. For a very complete description of venous stasis ulcers, click on "venous ulcer" on the main menu of this website. Don't suffer from venous stasis ulceration - venous stasis ulcers can be quite stubborn to heal and require a multidisciplinary approach to help them heal. The Board Certified Phlebologists at the Vein Treatment Center under the direction of Dr. Karamanoukian can help you get proper treatment of your venous stasis ulcer.
Left leg venous ulcer treated with skin graft
This video clip has a healed and healing venous stasis ulcer. It is the most downloaded video clip about venous stasis ulcers and lipodermatosclerosis on YouTube:
WATCH THIS NEW VIDEO about Venous Stasis Ulcers by Dr. Karamanoukian
Watch Another New Video about a Cockett's perforator vein and a venous stasis ulcer by Dr. Karamanoukian:
For more information regarding these common vein disorders or other venous deficiencies, please call Dr. Karamanoukian at 716-839-3638.
The Vein Treatment Center is a National Center of Excellence for Vein Disorders. Dr. Karamanoukian is listed in the Guide to America's Top Surgeons' by the Consumers Research Council of America. www.VeinsVeinsVeins.com is a highly rated and objective portal for information about VNUS Closure, VenaCure EVLT Never Touch, varicose veins, spider veins and reticular veins, venous stasis ulcers and perforator venous reflux. Over 9,000 endovenous procedures have been performed at the Vein Treatment Center!