What to expect from a sclerotherapy procedure
Using a fine needle, your interventional radiologist will inject a sterile vein-dissolving solution into the affected veins. The number of veins treated in one session varies and depends upon their size and location. The solution causes the vein to scar and collapse forcing blood to be rerouted through healthier veins. The collapsed treated vein is then reabsorbed into the surrounding tissue.
Sclerotherapy results
In general, spider veins respond to sclerotherapy in three to six weeks and larger veins respond in three to four months. Treated veins usually fade within a few weeks, although it may take up to a month to see complete results. In certain situations, several treatments may be needed.
Large varicose veins do not respond as well as small ones. Less than 10 percent of those who have sclerotherapy do not respond to the injections at all. In these instances, different solutions or a different method, such as cutaneous laser therapy, may be attempted. Each sclerotherapy session typically results in the elimination of 50 to 80 percent of the injected veins.
Since sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure and is performed in an outpatient setting requiring no hospital stay, patients can quickly return to their everyday activities.