INDIANAPOLIS — Day after day his legs ached and throbbed. Recently it became unbearable and was affecting his job.
Bruce Brosius is a builder and spends much of his time on his feet going from one construction site to another. But blood clots in his legs, due to varicose veins, led to aching sensations that finally led him to seek a solution.
"The one that I had in my right leg, felt like a golf ball. Next to my knees, and it was very painful," Brosius said.
He got an ultrasound at Vein Solution, where vascular surgeons could see where the blood flow was restricted in his legs.
They recommended a radiofrequency ablation, which is a procedure where they reach the affected veins with a catheter the size of a pencil lead.
"For all intents and purposes, we're cauterizing the vein, destroying the vein with heat with that catheter," said Dr. Richard Chitwood a vascular surgeon at Ascension St. Vincent.
Cosmetically, Brosius's legs are now free of the bulging veins, but more importantly, he said, the pain relief was immediate. Now he can keep moving long after the work day is over.
"I love to ride bikes. A lot of these things have been pretty much taken off the shelf for the time being, And I'm really looking forward to it," Brosius said.
Brosius is 58 and just a few weeks out from surgery he wonders why he delayed seeking help for so many years.
Dr. Chitwood says that's a revelation he hears often.
"I cannot tell you how many postoperative patients say 'Boy, why didn't I take care of that a long time ago?'" Chitwood said.
If you have throbbing varicose veins and want to learn what options are available for you, you can register for a free vein consultation courtesy Ascension St. Vincent and Check-Up 13 on April 13, 2021.