Dr. Robert Cutchen Albuquerque & Santa Fe

Meet Dr. Robert Cutchen

In 2009, Dr. Cutchen founded Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute, a clinic dedicated solely to the diagnosis and treatment of venous disease. His goal was to provide the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options all in the comfort of his office without the need for hospitalization. Our goal is to treat every patient the way we ourselves would hope to be treated.

Read Dr. Cutchen’s full bio here

Vein Treatments Albuquerque & Santa Fe

Vein Treatments

We provide our patients with the most advanced and comprehensive vein treatments. See the difference between before and after.

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Aesthetic Treatments Albuquerque & Santa Fe

Aesthetic Treatments

We utilize the power of advanced laser technology to treat a multitude of cosmetic concerns. See what a difference our treatments can make.

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Patient Resources Albuquerque & Santa FeDo you have a question?

Discover our FAQ pages to find your answers. If you still have a question, please call us at (505) 848-8346 and we will be happy to assist you.

Many female patients at my Albuquerque vein clinic want to know why varicose veins are so prevalent in females, as compared to men. Women are more likely to develop varicose veins primarily because of the roles that estrogen and pregnancy play in their development.

At Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute, our staff works with your insurance provider to determine vein treatment coverage by your plan.  Prior to approving varicose vein treatment, many insurance companies require a “trial of conservative therapy.” This means that they want patients to wear compression stockings for 6-12 weeks (depending on the carrier) before approving a procedure.  If patients continue to have discomfort in their legs despite the use of compression, they have “failed conservative therapy” and are candidates for a definitive procedure to eliminate the varicose veins.

For the vast majority of patients, varicose veins cause only symptoms of leg discomfort and swelling.  In some patients, over the course of time, just as smoking damages the lungs, varicose veins can damage the skin. The result is darkening of the skin, changes in skin texture, and possibly open skin sores.

Call to schedule your free vein consultation and allow me to assess your venous disorders and help you to choose what treatment avenue is best for you!

Along with heredity, pregnancy and professions requiring long periods of standing, being overweight can be a contributing factor to the development of vein disease in your legs. My patients often want to know how weight loss will affect their varicose veins. As you lose weight, your overall health will improve, and your legs may feel improved. However, if you have abnormal function of the valves of the veins leading to varicose veins, weight loss alone will not reverse your medical issue and likely will not alleviate all symptoms. In this case, even with weight loss, a patient would be a good candidate for varicose vein treatment.

Each year, many of the women who visit my Albuquerque vein clinic for vein consultations are either actively trying to conceive or they know they would still like to have more children in the future. They often inquire as to whether there is any reason they should wait until after they are finished having children to seek treatment for their varicose veins.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is if insurance will cover treatment for varicose veins. Insurance companies consider varicose veins to be a medical problem when they cause symptoms such as heaviness, aching, tiredness, throbbing, burning, itching, and swelling. We then have to verify that there is indeed a problem with the veins. This is done by performing an ultrasound with the patient standing. Normal veins carry the blood up toward the heart while varicose veins are broken and allow the blood to flow backwards toward the feet, often resulting in bulging veins. This flow abnormality called venous reflux can be determined with ultrasound. Once we have documented the patient’s symptoms and the fact that they do indeed have venous reflux, their subsequent treatment is typically covered by insurance. Some insurance carriers require patients to undergo a “trial of conservative therapy” prior to approving vein treatment. This usually means having patients wear compression stockings for 6-12 weeks. Once they have completed this, we can submit our records to the insurance company for treatment approval.

Many people wonder if they should pursue treatment for their varicose veins. For most, the primary motivation should be to improve the way your legs look and feel. Varicose veins cause symptoms of discomfort in the legs. This can range from mild to severe. Most people complain of any combination of heaviness, aching, tiredness, throbbing, burning, itching and swelling. Some patients will note bulging varicose veins while others may not. The only way to truly evaluate if varicose veins are present is to do an ultrasound of the legs with the patient standing. Once the diagnosis has been made, treatments can begin. All treatments are performed in the office with an immediate return to activity. During the course of the treatments, the varicose veins are eliminated and bulging varicose veins are often removed through tiny incisions. The result is elimination of the symptoms described above and elimination of the bulging varicose veins on the legs. I had my varicose veins treated about 5 years ago and the results have been significant. My legs feel great and the bulging varicose veins are gone.