ULTRASOUND-GUIDED
SCLEROTHERAPY All
diseased veins - from the largest of varicose veins to the tiniest of spiders
- are caused by abnormal leakage of blood through faulty valves located inside
veins deep beneath the surface of the skin. Over time, this abnormal leakage of
blood, also called reflux causes veins visible on the skin surface to dilate and
turn into diseased veins we call varicose veins and spiders. In order for sclerotherapy
to be successful, the source of this venous reflux must be both identified by
the treating doctor and injected or treated with sclerosing solution so the varicose
vein caused by this leakage will disappear.
Often the source of reflux
causing varicose veins and even spiders is much deeper than can be reached by
injecting from the skin surface, and since conventional sclerotherapy is done
right on the surface of the skin, regular sclerotherapy will not be effective
in treating veins caused by such a source of reflux. Now
enter ultrasound guided sclerotherapy. Ultrasound can see below the surface of
the skin! If
abnormal veins deep under the skin can be visualized with the ultrasound machine,
then the doctor can successfully guide a needle directly into the source of reflux
and satisfactorily treat that source with the result of complete disappearance
of the varicose vein originating from that source. This is exactly what occurs
during an ultrasound guided sclerotherapy session.
Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy is an amazing bit of technology that enables one
to see veins that are hidden under the surface of the skin. Often, these hidden
veins are the "culprits" that are causing problems further down the
leg. The valves in these veins may be damaged, allowing blood to flow backwards
into the calves. Eventually this will result in bulging of the calf veins, and
uncomfortable and unattractive varicose veins. With
the aid of the ultrasound machine, the injections can be guided quickly and accurately
to find the veins that need to be injected. Each
sclerotherapy treatment will be performed between 6-12 weeks apart. The plastic
surgeon will use a very small needle to inject the solution into the veins, so
a high number of injections may need to be given depending on the severity of
the varicose veins. People react to the sclerotherapy treatment in different ways,
but a qualified plastic surgeon will thoroughly evaluate and assess each patient
prior to the start of the treatments. Each sclerotherapy injection will only treat
about an inch of the visible vein. The
sclerotherapy treatment will take about 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how
many injections need to be given. Sclerotherapy injections contain hypertonic
saline, sodium tetradecyl sulphate, and polidocanol. Although sclerotherapy destroys
the inner lining of the blood vessel the patient's body will replace it by non-visible
scar tissue. In actuality sclerotherapy allows for better circulation by getting
rid of unnecessary vessels. benefits
of ultrasound guided sclerotherapy :
• Better results.
• Quicker Results.
• overall, less
expensive
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