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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.

Vein Treatment

Spider Vein Albuquerque

Spider veins can appear on your legs, face, or other parts of your body, leaving many feeling self-conscious with the “webbed” appearance to their affected areas of skin. Spider vein treatments target these tiny vessels and damage them so your body can naturally eliminate them. You can achieve spider vein clearance on the skin on your face, legs, or anywhere else spider veins occur with the help of a vein specialist, such as Dr. Robert Cutchen.

What are Spider Veins?

Usually cosmetic in nature, spider veins appear as red, blue, or purple threads just under the skin. They form when the pressure inside the smallest veins in the body causes them to stretch and thin. Spider veins are usually less than 1 mm in diameter and have a branched or web-like appearance.  They often form in clusters, and clusters around the ankles can suggest a deeper venous problem, so it’s important to consult with a vein specialist over a dermatologist or med spa that offers sclerotherapy or laser treatments for spider veins.

Although Fall is full of so many fun activities like apple picking, hayrides, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, it’s also a busy time of year in the healthcare industry as patients scramble to schedule medical treatment before their annual deductible renews! So, along with deciding how many bags of Halloween candy to buy, this time of the year is also the best time to consider your Vein Health! Many people neglect their vein issues until they start to have serious problems, especially if they have not yet met their annual insurance deductible, but there are several reasons this time of year is the perfect time to see Dr. Robert Cutchen for vein treatment!

Albuquerque Varicose Veins

Many people walk through their daily lives feeling as though their legs are heavy weights that get harder and harder to move with each step. Others walk around with legs that just ache for no apparent reason. When these people lie down to rest, they may even experience an irresistible urge to move their legs in order to stop uncomfortable sensations in them. Why does this happen and what can be done to alleviate these painful symptoms?

Spider Vein Albuquerque

Spider veins are dilated superficial blood vessels that form close to the surface of the skin. Although they are mostly considered cosmetic in nature, they can really add years to legs, which results in loss of self-confidence for many and a hesitation to wear shorts, skirts and swimsuits. Our in-office treatment can reduce the appearance of spider veins and make you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

Discoloration is one of the most common side effects of spider vein treatment. Many of our patients who are considering spider vein treatment ask us, “how long does discoloration last after spider vein treatment?” Keep reading to learn how spider vein treatment works and find out the answer to this question.

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A board-certified physician, Dr. Robert Cutchen opened his own dedicated vein clinic, Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute, in the spring of 2009 to provide the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options, all in the comfort of his office without the need for hospitalization. His goal is to treat every patient the way we ourselves would hope to be treated.

If you’ve avoided consulting with a vein specialist because you’re nervous that it’s the same very invasive, painful varicose vein removal procedure your mom or grandma had years ago, we have great news for you! While hospital-based vein stripping surgery was the most common treatment protocol used to treat patients with bulging varicose veins for years, your options have increased and dramatically improved over the last 15+ years.

Thanks to advances in medical technology and improved treatment options in recent years, varicose veins are easier to treat than ever before, and with much less discomfort and recovery time! Before 2000, vein stripping was the preferred method for treating the most common cause of vein disease – saphenous venous reflux. The procedure required general anesthesia and treatment at the hospital with significant pain afterwards. New techniques allow treatment under local anesthesia which can be performed in the comfort of the office. Local anesthesia means that there are a few shots to numb the affected areas, but this is well tolerated by patients. After procedures, patients are immediately sent on a walk around our neighborhood. Following any procedure, we recommend only pain medications such as ibuprofen. Narcotic medications (such as morphine, Percocet, Vicodin) are not needed.

Today’s minimally-invasive varicose vein treatment involves outpatient procedures performed in the comfort and convenience of Dr. Robert Cutchen’s Albuquerque vein clinic. Unlike painful hospital vein stripping surgeries of years past, modern endovenous laser treatment only requires local anesthesia (the patient is awake), reducing the risks and downtime associated with general anesthesia.

Compared to surgical stripping surgeries, a common procedure used to remove bulging varicose veins until a few years ago, there are several minimally invasive treatments for vein disease and varicose veins that are extremely well tolerated, all performed using just local anesthesia.

Many of our patients at Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute are surprised to find that their insurance plan often covers the medical treatment for Varicose Veins and related vein disease! Although each insurance plan/provider has their own specific requirements, generally speaking, vein treatment is considered to be a medical issue if the patient presents with symptoms of discomfort, including pain, heaviness, swelling at the ankles, discoloration, bulging veins, etc.

In addition, the results of a diagnostic ultrasound test (performed by our staff right in our office!) must show the presence of venous reflux (backward blood flow in the vein, which is what causes the symptoms, including bulging veins).

Facial-veins-blog-albuquerque

Spider veins are extremely common – men and women of all ages experience them. They are most common on the legs but some people can develop them on the face. These small veins are usually caused by the natural aging process of the skin, sun damage, trauma to that site, certain skin disorders such as rosacea, or genetics. Removing facial veins requires a more precise and gentler treatment than removing them from the leg.

Varicose-veins-downtime-blog

If you’re considering varicose vein treatment, you may be wondering about recovery and downtime after the procedure.

After the presence of vein disease has been diagnosed, Dr. Cutchen will formulate a personalized treatment plan specific to each patient’s issues. All vein treatment procedures are minimally invasive and are performed in the office with an almost immediate return to activity.

Spider veins are extremely common – it’s estimated that they affect nearly half of the adult population at some point in their lives – particularly women. Like varicose veins, they are dilated superficial blood vessels that are caused by an increased pressure in the veins but are smaller and closer to the skin. They are often located behind the knee or on the ankle. Although clusters of spider veins around the ankles can be a symptom of a deeper venous issue, they are generally cosmetic in nature and can be easily eliminated with sclerotherapy injections, or in some cases laser treatment.

As the end of the year is in sight, it’s important to note that this can be the best time of the year to seek medically necessary vein treatment, as most flexible spending accounts and insurance benefits will soon expire. In addition, many patients have met their insurance deductibles by now, with their new deductible starting over on January 1st.  If you have been suffering with varicose veins and delaying treatment, now is the time to act!

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) affects 10-15% of Americans, and is characterized by the irresistible urge to move one’s legs to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. A patient’s legs become uncomfortable when lying down or sitting – some describe it as a “creeping, tingling or burning” sensation. Moving the legs helps it feel better, but not for long.

Many patients initially seek vein treatment because of leg discomfort accompanied by large bulging varicose veins that cause tremendous embarrassment. Endovenous laser ablation allows us to address the underlying veins that are often the source of the problem, but we still need to address those bulging veins.

More than 30 million Americans suffer from venous disease, including varicose veins and a more serious form of venous disease called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), yet only 1.9 million seek treatment each year.*

Many people endure the discomfort of varicose veins because they don’t know about the recent advances in the minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins. Some individuals have no idea that varicose veins are contributing to their leg discomfort.

The training, background and experience of a treating physician is important in obtaining quality results with your vein treatment.

Unfortunately, there are many physicians jumping into the field of phlebology, or vein disease, and sadly not all of them are adequately trained in this specialty, nor have any reasonable experience with the full spectrum of vein patients. Just because one claims to be a “vein specialist” doesn’t necessarily make it so.

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.

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.

Over the past few months I’ve had the chance to meet a great guy who for many years has suffered from symptoms of heaviness, burning, and aching in his legs associated with huge bulging veins.

This is what he looked like before any treatments:

Well, we performed endovenous laser ablation of his right great saphenous vein as well as his left anterior accessory saphenous vein and removed the bulging veins on both legs via ambulatory phlebectomy and ended up with some great results.  The following pictures show his legs at just 6 weeks after treatment.  Amazing!

He is reporting that his legs feel significantly better.  The fact that they look so great is just a bonus.