Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy (the word reflects the Greek skleros, meaning hard) is a procedure used to treat blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations) and also malformations of the lymphatic system. A medication is injected into the vessels, which makes them shrink. It is used for children and young adults with vascular or lymphatic malformations. In adults, sclerotherapy is often used to treat spider veins, smaller varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and hydroceles. Sclerotherapy is one method for the treatment of spider veins, varicose veins (which are also often treated with surgery, radiofrequency, and laser ablation), and venous malformations. In ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, ultrasound is used to visualize the underlying vein so the physician can deliver and monitor the injection. Sclerotherapy often takes place under ultrasound guidance after venous abnormalities have been diagnosed with duplex ultrasound. Sclerotherapy under ultrasound guidance and using microfoam sclerosants has been shown in a literature reviewed paper published by the American Vein and Lymphatic Society to be effective in controlling reflux from the sapheno-femoral and sapheno-popliteal junctions. However, some authors believe that sclerotherapy is not suitable for veins with reflux from the greater or lesser saphenous junction, or for veins with axial reflux. This is due to the emergence of more effective technologies, including laser ablation and radiofrequency, which have demonstrated superior efficacy to sclerotherapy for treatment of these veins.