The goal of sclerotherapy is the immediate complete closure of the varicose vein, which eventually turns into a connective cord (the most desirable scenario)
Varicose veins are an increasingly common diagnosis of those who have fully adapted to the modern lifestyle.
Whether you are old or young, varicose veins can very easily become part of your everyday life; Sitting in the office, lack of physical activity and, finally, nutritionally poor food make your health picture more prone to cardiovascular problems.
However, it is not impossible to get rid of them either. Thanks to the exceptional progress of medicine and technology, the removal of varicose veins is now a matter of routine. For severe cases of varicose veins, laser surgery has been proven to be the best method, and for the treatment of dilated capillaries on the surface of the skin, sclerotherapy is far more known.
Find out what vein sclerotherapy is, how it works and everything you need to know before deciding on this procedure.
Vein sclerotherapy is a procedure for removing varicose veins, more precisely dilated capillaries on the surface of the skin. This procedure is characterized by the fact that it does not belong to surgical procedures, which automatically positively accepts it among our clients.
The goal of sclerotherapy is the immediate complete closure of the varicose vein, which over time turns into a connective cord (the most desirable scenario).
Also known as sclerotherapy, this procedure is based on the principle of disabling the function of the diseased capillary. Once the venous sheath weakens, the blood no longer flows at the same speed to the heart. In fact, the opposite occurs; The blood either stays in the same place, or returns in the direction from which it came.
What sclerotherapy enables is the complete closure of superficial veins, which independently redirects blood to healthy and functional blood vessels. Once closed, the vein loses its function and deteriorates over time, changing into connective tissue.
By injecting a chemical agent into the varicose vein , damage is caused to the inner layer of the vein wall (vein endothelium), and in this way vein ablation (vein gluing) is created.
For this purpose, a liquid sclerosant or sclerosing foam is used. The choice of sclerosing agent (liquid or foamy) depends solely on the size of the treated vein; Sometimes the superficial venous stem, its main branches, varicosities or reticular veins and capillaries are treated.
Liquid sclerosant has found its advantage in the treatment of veins of smaller diameter (reticular veins and telangiectasia), while sclerosing foam is the first choice in the treatment of veins of larger diameter.
This is due to the fact that the air in the form of fine bubbles allows the foamy sclerosant to have better contact with the inner wall of the vein, in such a way that it displaces the blood in the treated vein and thus creates a better sclerosing effect, and at the same time allows a similar effect to be achieved in “large” veins with a smaller amount of sclerosing (a smaller amount, but a larger volume of sclerosing).
Sclerosate foam has proven to be a more effective method, although both methods give good results and are based on the same principle. While the fluid connects the walls of the blood vessels, which prevents blood flow, the foam directly damages and breaks down the varicose vein.
Both methods are performed by injection through an injection, the procedure is painless in both cases, as well as recovery, for which the same rules apply in both methods.
The main advantage of this procedure is the speed and simplicity that is needed to treat varicose veins. The procedure takes a few minutes, and after the treatment, our clients continue with their daily activities as if they had not even been in therapy.
The procedure is painless and especially interesting to observe. The only thing you can feel is a slight burning sensation after the end of the therapy.
After the procedure, the possibility of recurrence of the same problem is rare, unless the nearby, healthy veins have also succumbed to the same symptoms and if you do not follow the instructions given to you after the procedure.
A recognizable symptom of varicose veins are pronounced and visible veins, of which the thicker so-called bent veins, or smaller capillaries that look like a river delta, can be especially “disturbing”.
If you still think that sclerotherapy is the right solution for you, it should be noted that this procedure is performed on veins that are less than 5 mm in diameter. In the case of larger varicose veins, sclerotherapy will not be beneficial, but you will need to opt for more complex procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation of the veins.
Therefore, when is sclerotherapy the right solution for you? In most cases, when it comes to only dilated capillaries on the surface of the skin, even better known as varicose veins. Other, larger veins will be best eliminated by laser surgery.
Unlike other surgical procedures to remove varicose veins, you do not need to prepare for this procedure. When you arrive at the office, put on disposable clothes, and then go to the room where the doctor will perform the procedure.
Once the ultrasound finds the diseased vein, the doctor will inject an injection into the vein itself, which contains a liquid or foam with sclerosing substances, i.e. substances that cause permanent narrowing of the veins.
The substance used during sclerotherapy irritates the mucous membrane of varicose veins , causing them to contract and thus block the blood. Over time, the blood vessel deteriorates, and the blood is diverted through new, healthy veins.
During the procedure, local anesthesia is not even necessary, due to the really small diameter of the insulin needle that penetrates your skin almost without any pain.
Once the doctor injects the sclerosate fluid, you will be able to see an immediate change at the site of the dilated capillaries. This scene is interesting to many patients because they can accurately witness the gradual closure of diseased veins.
Once you have been injected with sclerosate fluid or foam, gauze or a swab is placed on the injection site, which you are required to keep for 24 hours after the treatment.
After sclerotherapy of the veins, you can comfortably continue with most activities, as long as it is at a moderate level, without a great strain on your body. For example, you should avoid standing and sitting for long periods of time.
The effectiveness of this therapy is between 50-70%, which means that if you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions, there is a chance that your varicose veins will reappear.
Precisely because of the slightly weaker effectiveness, there is a possibility that you will be booked for more treatments at an interval of 3-6 weeks.
These procedures are more recommended in winter when parts of the body are not exposed to the sun and heat, which can cause the symptoms of varicose veins again.
After the procedure, it is sometimes recommended to wear an elastic stocking, but this is a more common sight in laser vein surgery. For an even faster recovery, your doctor may also prescribe pills that strengthen the veins and thus speed up general recovery, as well as reduce the chances of repeating the same problems.
Due to the simplicity of this procedure, complications are really very rare. However, they are not impossible. If you notice a slight burning, redness, itching or swelling, there is no need to worry. Such effects are normal after sclerotherapy and do not last longer than a few days.
If you do not follow your doctor’s advice and instructions, you risk the return of varicose veins in the same place. However, if you are careful and responsible, you will very easily avoid any complications.
Other side effects include the possibility of hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin, due to the effect of the substance on the surrounding area, but this is more common in foam sclerotherapy.
In a certain number of cases, due to the increased volume of blood in the vein, the scleroser does not achieve complete and adequate contact with the vein wall, in which case thrombus formation and the development of thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the vein) occurs, which most often result in local changes in soft tissue in terms of indurate formation (thickening of the skin and skin tissue), redness, warmth and soreness of the skin in the treated area.
In this situation, over time, there is usually a partial or complete re-sewerage of the treated vein (re-“opening” of the vein).
Then, if necessary, the same vein can be treated again. Also, there are other systemic and local complications caused by the use of sclerosants, but if sclerotherapy is done in an adequate way and by a highly qualified person (vascular surgeon), complications are reduced to a minimum and are extremely rare.
Sclerotherapy is a routine procedure that we perform on a daily basis, and our approach is simple, practical and effective.
The price of sclerotherapy depends on a number of factors, and for more information about this procedure, you can contact us by calling +3851 2444 646 or filling out our online form through which you can describe your problems with varicose veins and inquire about the variety of services we offer at the polyclinic.
