Sclerotherapy – Q & A

All you need to know about Sclerotherapy! Part II

Q: Is there anything that I need to prepare for the procedure, like fasting and all?
The sclerotherapy procedure does not require any prior preparation. However, if you have a pair of compression stockings at home or you have previously gone through similarly procedures in the vein clinic, you are required to bring the compression stockings along. You may also want to consider bringing a pair of comfortable shorts to change; the Vein Clinic will provide patient gowns and skirts if you don’t have any.

Q: What happens during the injection?
Before you start on the sclerotherapy process, Dr. John Tan will go through the sclerotherapy consent form with you, so that you will know what to expect out of the sclerotherapy procedure as well as after the injections.

After giving your consent, Dr. John will then prepare the medicine for injection. The injection process is as follow:

1. Dr. John Tan will use a special device called the “Veinlite” to locate the ugly bluish-green veins and inject them first. Those veins are normally the “feeder” veins for the smaller and more prominent spider veins, which are purple and red in colour. Killing off the feeder vein will ensure that the veins that the smaller veins will not recur after they are injected.
2. Then Dr. John Tan will then go on to inject the red and purple spider veins. This process will repeat about 4 times for each side of the leg.
3. After the injections, you will start wearing the compression stockings.

Q: How long do I have to wear the stockings?
After the sclerotherapy procedure, you are required to wear your compression stockings for 5 days – on the day you finished the sclerotherapy procedure, you are required to keep the stockings on for 24 hours. The second day onwards, you can take the compression stockings off at night when you sleep, and only put them on during the day.

To be Continued…

by Lorinda
Staff of THE VEIN CLINIC & SURGERY