Foam sclerotherapy

Venous disease is primarily inherited and cannot be blamed on standing for long periods or crossing the legs. Neither can they be caused by excess weight, blood pressure or smoking. The reason the veins become prominent and more visible is when the small one-way valves along their length which are designed to aid the circulation of the blood back up the length of the leg to the heart, fail. The blood then starts to flow the wrong way under pressure and the wall of the vein begins to bulge.

A standard treatment has been to close off the veins by injection, but this has only a temporary affect and has been largely abandoned in favour of foam sclerotherapy. This technique involves the introduction of foam comprised of a fluid mixed with a gas such as air, into the vein. The foam breaks down the lining of the vein allowing the insides to stick together and when even pressure from a firm stocking is applied, the vein is closed and becomes smooth under the skin.

Doppler Ultra Sound Scanning For Veins

An important stage of the treatment is for the patient to undergo a Doppler Ultrasound Scan to ascertain the health and condition of the leg veins and to check for any abnormalities before commencement of treatment. It has to be noted the appearance of thread veins may be as a result of pressure from reticular veins spilling over into smaller veins and there is a real possibility that if the condition goes untreated thread veins will worsen and undergo matting, which is unsightly and impossible to treat. This nasty condition can now be pre-empted thanks to the scan offered by Court House Clinics.

The hand held Doppler machine with penetrating Ultra Sound technique can painlessly detect and trace the pattern of the reticular veins which are flat with a one-way valve. The failure of this valve causes the blood to flow the wrong way under pressure down the leg causing the veins to bulge and become varicose.

The Doppler machine was invented by Christian Doppler, a nineteenth century mathematician. He identified the use of high frequency ultrasound waves which chart the blood flow by bouncing off the actual corpuscles of the blood to identify the veins causing the problem. Diagnosis is key to the successful treatment of this condition

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Frequently asked questions

Who gets varicose veins?

Varicose veins are an inherited condition and they are not caused by standing for long periods or crossing the legs although this may exacerbate the symptoms. They have not been found to be related to weight, blood pressure or smoking.

What is Foam Sclerotherapy?

The procedure involves injecting a mixture of fluid and gas into the vein to close down it down and flatten its appearance. Injections have been used for years to seal off varicose veins to prevent further development but the results were not long-lasting and foam sclerotherapy is now accepted as a greatly improved treatment.

This treatment can be carried out as an out-patient so there is no inconvenience or expense incurred as a result of a hospital stay.

Foam Sclerotherapy is a painless procedure and immediately following treatment you would be allowed to drive home and resume your normal activities.

How is Foam Sclerotherapy performed?

The particular veins which are causing the problem are firstly identified by an ultrasound machine. A small amount of the foam is injected through a cannula into the main vein and this may have to be repeated at other sites around the leg to completely fill the vein. The walls of the vein will then be able to be stuck together to close off and flatten the troublesome vein by wearing a firm stocking. This stocking must be worn all the time for at least a week and the treatment will be followed by another ultrasound test to confirm the successful closure of the vein.

What happens afterwards?

You can immediately resume normal activities and can drive and go back to work. The leg will have to be bandaged and the stocking will need to be kept on for at least a week but there should be no need for painkillers. A further appointment will be made at the clinic for an ultra sound examination to check that the treatment has been successful and that all is well.

Are there any complications?

Foam sclerotherapy is successful in 70 to 90% on the first treatment and may need to be repeated to obtain the desired result. There is far less chance of any complications with this treatment than with surgery particularly with regard to bruising and any skin staining will fade during the first year, but a mark may remain. Foam sclerotherapy has a success rate of 70% to 90% on the first treatment and may be repeated if desired.

Is Foam Sclerotherapy safe?

Yes. The solution has been in use for many years and as a foam, only a very small amount is required. Allergy is very rare and has only occurred in about 1 in 100 000 people.

What are the alternatives?

Alternative treatments by conventional surgery or Endovenous Laser therapy are effective, but they are more invasive. They can be painful and have more complications than foam sclerotherapy, but these are usually quite minor.

Will the veins come back?

As with surgery, the reoccurrence of varicose veins after foam sclerotherapy is at about the rate of 20% over 5 years.

Is Foam Sclerotherapy successful?

Yes. The vein is closed off within 2 weeks in more than 90% of people. In cases where the vein has not successfully closed the injections are repeated. It has been shown that the results at 5 years are about the same as for other treatments for varicose veins.

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Before and after

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