Common Conditions
Varicose Veins: Injections/Foam
Overview | What
veins do | Surgery | Injections/Foam
| Endoluminal/Laser | Operative
Info Sheet
Injection sclerotherapy for large veins has been practised for
over 50 years. A sclerosant material (e.g. polidocanol or sodium
tetradecyl sulpahte) is injected into the vein and the leg is compressed
with bandages for a few days. The damaged vein disintegrates over
time and disappears. In practice however, multiple large studies
have shown a poor result with this technique, when used on large
veins.
A new variation of this technique has recently been reported in
some newspapers and magazines.
Foam containing a sclerosant material is injected into both, the
varicose veins, and the main veins feeding them. The foam is made
by mixing large volumes of air with a sclerosant. The injections
are undertaken with ultrasound guidance in an out-patient setting.
Several sessions may be required. The 'bruising' produced may take
several months to resolve and there is the theoretical risk of deep
vein thrombosis (DVT). Additionally, the injection of 'air' into
the circulation is not without risk.
Although there do exist enthusiastic practitioners of this technique,
the author finds little to commend it at the present time.
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