Sclerotherapy 

– Sclerotherapy is an injection procedure used for simple spider veins, where there is no large feeding vein involved (axial vein).
– If ultrasound prior to the procedures indicates there is a feeding vein, then it needs to be treated and blocked off before considering sclerotherapy, and Medicare will only offer a rebate if this occurs.
– Sclerotherapy injections can be used for spider veins, when varicose veins are treated at the same time as treating the feeding veins, when veins have returned after surgery and sometimes for early varicose veins.
– The procedure is done under guided ultrasound (varicose veins) or direct vision (spider veins).

Symptoms of varicose veins include

• Itching
• Burning
• Restless legs
• Swelling
• Cramping (especially at night)
• Lipodermatosclerosis (lower calf inflammation of the skin)
• Inverted Champagne Bottle Leg (when skin scars and becomes tight)
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Blood clots are a late complication of untreated varicose veins

– Aethoxysklerol and Sclerovein (STS) are the two common sclerosants used in this procedure.
– These are both soap solutions and cause an irritation in the wall of the vein.
– The irritation results in the inner lining sloughing away and absorbing itself.
– Over the following months, the vein collapses and becomes a thread of scar tissue (sclerosis) which cannot be seen.

– After your treatment you will stay in our rooms and our nurses will put compression stockings on you.
– You will then elevate your legs and rest them for 30 mins to allow the veins time to collapse.
– After your treatment, continue to wear stocking 24/7 for 7 days.
– Also walk daily – and aim for a moderate pace of half an hour to an hour a day.
– Shower with stockings on or covered with plastic bags. These can be taped on with special plastic bags that can be used for the shower.
– If the stockings are wet then dry with a hair dryer on a cooler setting or have a second stocking.
– Lie on the bed, take the wet stocking off, dry the leg and put a second stocking on.
– Anything that dilates the veins is an issue which is why patients should wear the stocking in the shower.
– If pain is an issue you can take your stockings off at night, but wear the stockings whenever you are out of bed.
– Also avoid saunas. Swimming is OK with the stocking on.
– Post procedure, it is advised not to fly for up to a month for long haul flights (more than 4 hours) or 4-5 days for shorter flights.

– There is often bruising around the injection site, and spider veins may initially become quite dark and angry or you may notice small brown spots.
– After a few weeks this will usually resolve.
– If there is any trapped blood it will need to be drained to prevent staining and telltale signs of this dark lines along where the veins were
– Hard, tender lumps where the veins were are common and will generally disappear in 3-6 months.
– Legs may be a little achy for a day or two, but Paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medication such as – – Nurofen can be used for any pain, stinging, burning or discomfort which tends to settle within a day or two).
– The procedure is generally very well tolerated but there are some complications which include pigmentation, matting. Very rare complications include blood clots, ulcers and migraines.
– Sclerotherapy should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because there is not enough known information about birth defects and sclerotherapy. Nor do we know whether sclerosant enters the breast milk.
– The results are generally more effective post-delivery and breastfeeding.
– In terms of other hormonal periods in a woman’s life, menopause veins are frequently treated in our rooms and sclerotherapy performed concurrently with HRT appears to have minimal complication rates.

– Varicose veins generally disappear completely over 2 to 3 months.
– Spider veins will not disappear completely but will fade to be barely visible.
– If you require further clearance, another treatment will further lessen their appearance.
– Optimal results can generally be seen around the 3 month mark.