Sclerotherapy for Large Veins?

Regarding: " Sclerotherapy for Large Veins? Sclerotherapy is usually best for small reticular [blue] veins and threadlike spider [red] veins. Sclerotherapy can be used on veins up to 3mm in diameter. However, review and closure of larger deeper incompetent veins needs to be completed prior to sclerotherapy. I think this is why patients do not get the desired results from sclerotherapy alone. Reticular varicose veins at the surface maybe the result of reverse vein flow from larger... more

Large varicose veins usually require endovenous laser treatments while medium ones do good with foam sclerotherapy for $350 per session and need usually 2-3 sessions at a month apart.  Sincerely, David Hansen,MD

Regarding: " Sclerotherapy for Large Veins?  Can Sclerotherapy be used to treat large varicose veins?"   It depends what you mean by "large" veins. For Sclerotherapy to work, a caustic / highly irritating substance is injected in a vein to bring about inflammation of its walls followed by collapse and obstruction. Large veins have faster blood flow which moves this medication along faster, with less damage to the walls but with potential distribution... more

Stripping is rarely done these days. Large varicose veins can be treated by ambulatory phlebectomy, small incisions, or laser energy delivered into the vein via a catheter (endovenous) or sclerosant foam. You should have an ultrasound examination by an experienced physician prior to the injections or other treatement.

Sclerotherapy can be used for large veins and certain techniques such as "foaming" the sclerosant may enhance the effect. However, if the flow is too great, it may benefit more from endovenous laser treatment, or ligation.