TREATMENT: Sclerotherapy
Do I need an anaesthetic? No. This procedure does not require any anaesthetic as the injections are not normally uncomfortable. How does it work? The sclerosant chemical - Fibrovein - destroys the inner lining of the vein, which is then compressed with a bandage or stocking to seal it. Is it painful? The treatment is almost painless. There may be a slight degree of discomfort for a few days afterwards. How long does it take? The procedure normally takes 20-40 minutes. It is a walk-in, walk-out treatment, but you should ask someone to drive you home. You will normally need to wear a support bandage or stocking for between three days and three weeks depending on the size and severity of the veins being treated. What is the recovery time? Normal day-to-day activity can be resumed the following day. Vigorous exercise, such as gym workouts, riding or cycling should be avoided for the first week. Will I need further treatment? Sclerotherapy treatment will sometimes require more than one session to complete the treatment. The full effect of the treatment can take several weeks to develop. Will my veins come back? The veins treated will not normally come back. New varicose veins or thread veins can develop over time. This is quite variable and may affect some people more than others. What are the risks? Minor bruising and discomfort can occur after sclerotherapy of varicose veins. Discolouration or pigmentation can develop and might last for some months before settling. Serious risks, such as skin ulceration or deep vein thrombosis - DVT, are very rare. Before any treatment a full discussion of the possible risks and side-effects of any treatment is a routine part of your care. What's different about "foam sclerotherapy"? As the name suggests this treatment is performed by injecting a foam version of the irritant chemical into the veins. This is a new variation of sclerotherapy and is used to treat larger varicose veins. The sclerotherapy agent is mixed into a foam with air before injection. This foam can be massaged through the varicose veins and followed on ultrasound. TREATMENT: ClariVein
Is it painful? No. A single anaesthetic injection just to allow us to access the vein is all that is required. The treatment itself is normally painless. Some patients can feel a sensation as the treatment is being performed but this is not painful. How long does it take? The procedure normally takes 20-30 minutes. It is a walk-in, walk-out treatment. You would normally be ready to leave within an hour. What is the recovery time? You can get straight back to normal activity. We recommend that you wear compression stockings for the first week. Vigorous exercise, such as gym workouts, riding or cycling should be avoided for the first week. Will I need further treatment? The ClariVein treatment does not normally need to be repeated. In many patients no further treatment is required. When the veins are extensive these can sometimes need further treatment in the clinic later with injection sclerotherapy. Will my veins come back? The veins treated will not normally come back. New varicose veins can develop over time. This is quite variable and may affect some people more than others. What are the risks? ClariVein is safe and simple to perform. The vein being treated is seen with ultrasound. There is a slight chance of bruising and discomfort after the treatment. Pigmentation in the skin can occasionally occur, but this is expected to be temporary. Serious risks, such as deep vein thrombosis - DVT, are very rare. Before any treatment a full discussion of the possible risks and side-effects of any treatment is a routine part of your care. |
TREATMENT: VenaSeal (Closure system)
Is it painful? No. A single anaesthetic injection just to allow us to access the vein is all that is required. The treatment itself is normally painless. How long does it take? The procedure normally takes 30-40 minutes. It is a walk-in, walk-out treatment. You would normally be ready to leave within an hour. What is the recovery time? You can get straight back to normal activity. Vigorous exercise, such as gym workouts, riding or cycling should be avoided for the first week. Will I need further treatment? The closure treatment does not normally need to be repeated. In many patients no further treatment is required. When the veins are extensive these can sometimes need further treatment in the clinic later with injection sclerotherapy. Will my veins come back? The veins treated will not normally come back. New varicose veins can develop over time. This is quite variable and may affect some people more than others. What are the risks? VenaSeal is safe and simple to perform. The vein being treated is seen with ultrasound. There is a slight chance of bruising and discomfort after the treatment. Serious risks, such as deep vein thrombosis - DVT, are very rare. Before any treatment a full discussion of the possible risks and side-effects of any treatment is a routine part of your care. TREATMENT: Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA/EVLT)
Do I need an anaesthetic? It is almost always possible to perform this treatment under local anaesthetic. In some cases it may be preferable to use general anaesthesia if there are extensive varicose veins, which can be removed at the same time. Is it painful? Local anaesthetic injections along the length of the vein to be treated can be uncomfortable, but the laser treatment itself is normally painless . How long does it take? The procedure normally takes 20-40 minutes. It is a walk-in, walk-out treatment. You would normally be ready to leave after an hour or two. What is the recovery time? Normal day-to-day activity can be resumed the following day. Vigorous exercise, such as gym workouts, riding or cycling should be avoided for the first week. Will I need further treatment? The laser treatment does not normally need to be repeated. In many patients no further treatment is required. When the veins are extensive these can often be treated by removing them at the same time, or treated in the clinic later with injection sclerotherapy. Will my veins come back? The veins treated will not normally come back. New varicose veins can develop over time. This is quite variable and may affect some people more than others. What are the risks? Bruising and discomfort are fairly common after endovenous laser treatment of varicose veins. However this is usually not particularly troublesome and can be expected to go within a few days. Serious risks, such as deep vein thrombosis - DVT, are very rare. Before any treatment a full discussion of the possible risks and side-effects of any treatment is a routine part of your care |