Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy

Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, or UGS, is a specialized procedure designed to treat and eliminate branch varicose veins located at or just below, the surface of the skin.  Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy is especially useful in treating any smaller branch veins the remain after vein ablation.

Like traditional sclerotherapy procedures, UGS treats affected veins through injection of a sclerosant solution that causes the vein to close up.  Unlike traditional sclerotherapy, ultrasound locates the branch veins underneath the surface of the skin. The ultrasound helps the vein doctor guide the needle into the varicose vein.

Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy Procedure

Prior to an ultrasound guided sclerotherapy procedure,  your doctor will complete a process known as a duplex ultrasound examination.  A duplex ultrasound examination combines traditional and Doppler ultrasound technologies to test, measure, and observe how blood travels through your veins and arteries.

The results of the duplex ultrasound exam are used to create a detailed diagnostic map of the veins in the affected area; this map is then used to identify the specific  locations and sizes of the varicose vein.

Prior to the ultrasound guided sclerotherapy procedure, the area of treatment will be numbed with a small injection of local anesthetic. During the procedure, a tiny needle is inserted directly into the vein and a sclerosant solution, or sclerosant agent, is injected into the vein being treated; the entire procedure is observed on the ultrasound monitor, allowing the effects of each injection to be carefully monitored.

After being injected with the sclerosant solution, the vein wall is destroyed and sealed off, causing it to collapse, shrink, and eventually disappear. The closing down of the vein is immediate and the vein will not be visible under ultrasound after 3-6 months. 

Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy Treatment Recovery

Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy procedure generally takes between 5 and 15-minutes to complete.  Immediately after completing the UGS procedure, the injection area will be bandaged and you’ll be given a compression stocking to wear; you’ll also need to walk for roughly 30-minutes to encourage blood flow within the veins.  These compression socks are recommended to be worn during each day for the first week after treatment.

USG patients will be scheduled for a follow-up examination a week after the ultrasound guided sclerotherapy procedure; during this exam, a second detailed ultrasound is completed to ensure successful treatment and closure of the damaged veins. A DVT is also ruled out at during this ultrasound.

Four to six weeks after your initial USG procedure, you’ll attend an additional follow up exam with your physician. During this exam, the vein doctor will address any of your concerns. 

Most patients can resume normal, daily activities seven to ten-days after ultrasound guided sclerotherapy treatment.

How Long Do Tender Lumpy Areas Last After Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy?

Following a UGS procedure, it’s common for the treatment area to be sore, brused, tender to the touch, and even appear lumpy.  While the general soreness and bruising associated with the UGS procedure generally subsides within two to three-weeks, it’s not uncommon for the tender lumps to last two to three months before eventually disappearing. 

These tender lumps develop as part of the treatment process and are common in veins treated with ultrasound guided sclerotherapy. The lumps associated with UGS are an expected part of healing and are actually the hardened, treated veins beginning to break down; these lumpy areas will slowly reduce in size before eventually disappearing altogether.

How Much Does Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy Cost?

Since these treatments are due to a  true underlying condition these procedures are covered by Medicare and commercial insurance carriers; treatment costs also often depend on how many damaged veins are being treated  The cost of ultrasound guided sclerotherapy ranges from $300 for Medicare and HMO insurance and $400-500 for PPO insurance per vein treated. These costs will vary based on your deductible and out of pocket expenses owed.