Foam sclerotherapy–varicose veins

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy has been used in the treatment of varicose veins for many years. It is an outpatient procedure which offers an alternative to traditional surgery. It may be used as a primary treatment for varicose veins or as a secondary treatment to EVLA , to  treat smaller varicose veins. Like all treatments at Veins Northwest it is a ‘walk in walk out’ procedure with no downtime afterwards and little or no time off work. The treatment involves injecting a chemical foam into the target veins under ultrasound guidance and local anaesthetic. The number of injections is determined by the length of vein to be treated but generally no more than 4 injections per leg.  The sclerosant foam damages the lining of the vein, subsequently causing it to seal and block. Over time this will become hard and is eventually reabsorbed by the body. A tight bandage and a stocking are usually then applied which you will wear for a week. Some people will be reviewed two weeks following their treatment. Additional injections may be required at this point. Sometimes people may experience a specific area of tenderness on the treated leg. This is often due to a small clot(Not a DVT) in the treated vein, which is easily relieved by aspiration of the clot at your 2 week review. If foam sclerotherapy is planned for both legs it would generally be performed 1 leg at a time.