Varicose veins are the result of the failure of the, usually of the failure of the main vein of the leg, from the groin to the ankle, and the valves on these vein fail. They fail distend, the vein distends and varicose veins develop and become visible. There are different methods of treatment for varicose veins, depending of the underlying disease. For small varicose veins and branches of the main vein, we can use sclerotherapy. Thats the injection of a chemical substance that irritates the vein and closes the vein. Now, when the main vein and its valve at the groin are involved, then we need to do a procedure to eliminate this vein. In the past, we used to do surgery, ligation and stripping. The patient goes to the hospital, is put to sleep, a cut is made at the groin, another cut at the knee or at the ankle, a wire is placed inside the vein, and the vein is stripped. This procedure requires general anesthesia, a stay in the hospital from a few hours to a few days, and multiple cuts around the leg. In 99, we developed a procedure here at The Vein Treatment Center with the use of the laser thats minimally invasive. Stand at the office with a little bit of local anesthesia, pass a laser inside the main vein, and with laser energy we close it. We weld it shut. It is called endovenous laser ablation or Endolaser™. It takes about 45 minutes with the patient. Once the procedure is finished, the leg is wrapped, and the patient may return to the normal daily routine, or can go back to work the same day.