Abstract:
A device is set forth for treatment of spider veins. The device includes a needle having at its tip a slot defining tines. The needle is inserted through the skin to locate the spider vein in the slot. The needle is rotated to sever the vein from connecting veins.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to medical devices and more particularly to devices for treatment of spider veins. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Spider veins, are a common cosmetic problem. They occur in approximately eighty million people, mostly Caucasian females. When severe they may be so unsightly as to deter the wearing of clothing such as shorts or skirts and may show through hosiery. 
     The cause is thought to be related to estrogen and/or venous insufficiency. Current treatment consists of sclerotherapy or laser treatment by cauterizing the veins. In Suval, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,168 there is shown a device for treating varicose veins which includes a needle having a hook to capture the vein for removal from the incision. However, destroying the veins in situ does not work because veins will recannulize. Therefore, physically removing veins or interrupting their continuity appears to be the best hope for treatment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is provided according to the present invention a device and method for treatment of spider veins which includes providing a needle having a longitudinal axis and having at one end a tip shaped to puncture the skin. In this regard the tip may be beveled. The tip includes a slot to receive the spider vein to be treated. The needle is used to puncture the skin to locate the spider vein in the slot. Means are provided such as by providing a handle of a powered tool for axially rotating the needle to sever the spider vein. Once the vein is severed, the needle is withdrawn from the tissue. Because the spider vein is severed from connected veins, it no longer receives a blood supply and the severed vein dissolves or loses it red hue to no longer be visible. The puncture wound from the needle is small, is treated with sterile bandages and heals quickly without any significant scaring. Further because the puncture wound is small the risk if infection is minimized. By serially treating spider veins in a like manner, the discoloration of spider veins is eliminated or significantly reduced. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features and advantages will become appreciated as the same becomes better understood with reference to the description, claims and drawings where: 
     FIG. 1 shows the needle of the present invention in both a plan and elevation view, and 
     FIG. 2 shows means for providing for the rotation of the needle 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Turning to FIG. 1 there is shown the device  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The device  10  preferably consists of a needle including a shank  12  having a first end  14  which may be adapted to be connected to a handle or a chuck of a powered instrument such a rotary powered device (not shown in FIG. 1) and a second end  16 . The shank  12  is preferably cylindrical defining an axis A for the device  10  and may have a diameter of 0.030 inches, 0.040 inches or 0.050 inches. The shank  10  is preferably fashioned from surgical steel but it may also be fashioned from other rigid materials such as plastics. Where the device  10  is surgical steel it may be embodied as a surgical needle configured as hereinafter set forth below. 
     At the device  10  second end  16  there is provided means for puncturing the skin of the patient and for capturing a vein to be treated. These means are preferably embodied as including a bevel  18  which may be at 20 degrees with respect to the axis A and which defines a leading edge  20  for the device  10 . These is also provided at the second end  16  from the leading edge  20  a slot  22  which extends diametrically through the shank  12  for, for example, about 0.150 inches. The width of the slot  22  may be approximately one-third the diameter of the shank  12  and defines thereby at the second end  16  tines  24  for the device  10 . 
     To use the device  10 , the patient is positioned to expose the area including the spider veins to be treated. The area of the spider veins may be anesthetized if desired. The device  10  is positioned to locate each spider vein to be treated to be received in the slot  22 . The device  10  is then inserted through the skin with the leading edge  20  for each tine  24  penetrating the skin to straddle the vein to be treated and locate the vein in the slot  22 . When so positioned, the shank  12  is rotated axially which pulls and breaks the vein trapped in the slot  22  from other, connected veins. The rotation of the shank  12  may be done manually by manipulation of the handle or by operation of a powered device attached to the shank  12 . After the target vein has been severed, the shank  12  is withdrawn from the skin and moved to another target vein. This procedure is repeated until substantially all the desired spider veins have been targeted and severed. The area treated is then covered by bandage to prevent infection. 
     The severing of the spider veins decreases the chances of the spider vein veins recannulizing. Further the small holes formed by the shank  12  of the device  10  heal without any visible scar and without hospitalization or any significant outpatient care. The severed spider veins dissolve in the patients system or, because of the interruption of blood flow to the spider veins are no longer visible through the skin. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, the device  10  is shown with means for rotating the shank  12  which may be embodied as a simple handle  50  rotatable with the fingers or may be embodied as a powered tool  52  to which the shank first end  14  is removably coupled as by a chuck  54 . 
     While I have shown and described certain embodiments of the present invention it is to be understood that it is subject to many variations without departing from the scope of the appended claims.