Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy
What is Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy (USGS)?
ltrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy (USGS) is a minimally invasive treatment used to treat varicose veins and other symptoms of venous insufficiency. Utilizing advanced, ultrasound technology with sclerotherapy allows our vascular specialists to treat vein disease with absolute precision. The use of an ultrasound enables our medical team to treat veins located deeper within the tissue that may not be visible.
While Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) is used to treat varicose veins in the larger veins, USGS is successful at treating complex, winding branches of veins that feed into larger veins.
How Does USGS Work?
Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy treats symptoms of venous insufficiency by closing malfunctioning veins from the inside. Being able to accurately map the diseased veins in your legs helps us identify the source of the surface varicosities and treat these abnormalities. Then, a Sclerosant solution is injected into the veins which thicken the blood in the vessel and irritates the vessel’s walls; this causes the vein to collapse and seal off. After treatment, the vein tissue is then naturally absorbed by the body.
USGS is used to treat moderate to severe vein disease of the lower extremities. As an outpatient treatment, USGS usually takes less than half hour from start to finish. Because of its minimally invasive nature, you can expect limited discomfort and no scarring. Once your USGS treatment is complete, the vascular specialist will place a bandage over the injection site and you will be able to resume light activities the same day; this means that you are able to drive home or return to work immediately.
How Effective Is Sclerotherapy?
Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy effectively treats small varicose veins and other symptoms that accompany vein disease. When performed by our experienced specialists, USGS has a high success rate of over 80 percent.
You can expect Sclerotherapy to eliminate underlying venous insufficiency and halt the progression of vein disease in those veins. In some cases, however, patients require multiple treatments to fully resolve their vein problems. The number of sessions needed depends on the severity of your varicose veins. Our vascular specialists can help you determine whether you’re a good candidate for USGS.