Compression sclerotherapy
Compression sclerotherapy is a nonsurgical treatment of varicosity, which makes it possible to achieve excellent cosmetic and therapeutic results. It derives its name from the combination of pharmacological intervention on the vein wall and compression therapy.
The method is based on vein obliteration after introduction of a chemical substance – sclerosant, into a vein lumen. The substance induces necrosis of vascular endothelium with further development of endofibrosis. As a result, the vein becomes a connective tissue strand.
Compression sclerotherapy is applied quite widely — it is used in the treatment of enlarged veins, telangiectases, and even in the removal of transformations in the trunks of large and small saphenous veins and their numerous branches.
Development of foam sclerotherapy and its implementation into clinical practice have become one of the greatest achievements in medicine and revolution in phlebology in the treatment of different forms of varicosity. In comparison with the classic method when the solution is introduced into the vein in a liquid state, foam sclerotherapy is simplier to perform, more effective, predictable, more pathogenetically substantiated in science terms, less dangerous (rarer side effects and complications may occur).
Application of foam sclerotherapy solution together with ultrasound control made it possible to transform nonsurgical treatment method of varicosity from the category of “blind”, uncontrolled one into the category of innovative — remote-controlled one.
During the procedure air is mixed with the sclerosing agent creating foam. Gas bubbles displace the blood from the vessel that leads to the effect of “empty” vein. The foam is remaining in vein lumen until the bubble bursts; it impairs the vein wall longer than a sclerosing agent, which is being diluted in the blood stream and loses its original activity very quickly. In 1-2-hours’ time the foam is being destroyed into smaller parts and gets into the pulmonary circulation.
The main distinctive effect of the foam is a clear angiospasm which occurs in the vessel filled with the foam. According to the results of ultrasound investigation the diameter of the vessel may become 5 times smaller — from 15 mm to 3 mm. Particularly, it is vasospasm which provokes sclerophlebitis, but not a non-classic thrombophlebitis.