Normal To Treat The "Main Veins" During Procedure for Sclerotherapy Rather Than The Spider Veins?

asked 5 months ago by Film
Latest answer by Beverly Johnson, MD
Question viewed 224 times
Tags: legs, normal, spider veins, technique

I am scheduled to have sclerotherapy on the spider veins in my legs. A nurse practitioner for a plastic surgeon is doing the procedure. She said she would need to treat the "main" veins feeding the spider veins. I have seen nothing in the literature noting the need for this. Is this accurate? I don't want unneccesary or dangerous work done. I thought just the spider veins would be treated (?). Can you advise? Thanks!

5 answers to Normal To Treat The "Main Veins" During Procedure for Sclerotherapy Rather Than The Spider Veins?

It depends on what is meant by "Main Veins".

She is right that you should have the reticular veins that drive the spider veins treated. Without doing that, the spider veins are likely to recur. The spider veins are in the skin, the reticular veins are under the skin. The reticular veins are not, however the "main veins". These have names like greater, lesser saphenous or perforating veins. When the treatment involves these veins, things can start to get dangerous. The danger comes from blocking off major outflow veins... more

Robert Swanson, MD
Bay Area General Surgeon

Who does the best job of sclerotherapy?

Without knowing more about the office that you called, I would say that the best way to get your veins treated in an appropriate manner would be to consult a physician. You can look for a dermatologist in your area or go to Vein Clinics of America...a "chain" of sorts but the physicians are trained to evaluate, with doppler , the need for deep vein treatment. Yes, getting rid of these first means that you will get better result with the superficial ones that are attached to... more

Beverly Johnson, MD
Washington Dermatologic Surgeon

Only physicians should perform sclerotherapy

While it is not regulated or required, it is my firm belief that only MDs should perform sclerotherapy. Over the years I have seen complications and improper injection techniques by people who are not MDs performing sclerotherapy. Before you do this procedure, I would clarify what she is injecting and why. The other MDs who have responded to your post are correct - main veins are not injected normally. Only small spider and reticular veins are injected with sclerotherapy. more

F. Victor Rueckl, MD
Las Vegas Dermatologist

Only physicians should inject leg veins

I frequently treat the smaller, more unsightly leg veins quite successfully without touching the larger ones. No one other than a physician should be doing sclerotherapy, for all of the reasons already stated below. I personally do all of my patients' leg vein injections. Rather than asking the plastic surgeon to do something that they clearly prefer to delegate to someone else, I recommend you go to another office where the doctor does these treatments themselves.

Mitchell Schwartz, MD
South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

Leg Vein Treatments Should Be Performed By MD Only

I personally treat all of my leg vein patients myself as I feel that sclerotherapy (a treatment which requires experience, knowledge of the anatomy and proper training) should always be performed by a physician. Therefore, I recommend you ask the plastic surgeon to perform the procedure rather than the nurse practitioner. Every individual is different and therefore every case treated differently, but in general, when it comes to sclerotherapy, you can choose to only treat the smaller,... more

Channing R. Barnett, MD
New York Dermatologist

www.barnettdermatology.com

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