Spider veins on the legs are a frequent cosmetic concern. This has led many to believe that they are simply a cosmetic issue. However, the medical term for leg spider veins is Idiopathic Leg Telangiectasia. It is a medical diagnosis made after a consultation which includes a medical history, examination and appropriate special investigations, often including a duplex ultrasound scan.
Expert consensus agrees that sclerotherapy is the most effective treatment for Idiopathic Leg Telangiectasia. Sclerotherapy is a medical intervention i.e.the intravenous injection of a prescription-only-medicine for the treatment of C1 venous disease (based on the CEAP classification). It is undertaken by trained and competent healthcare professionals in a clinical environment. The correct dose and strength of the licensed sclerosant is doube-checked and it is injected into the telangiectasia with the aid of magnification and illumination. The telangiecatasia are directly cannulated using a 30G needle and successful injection is indicated by blanching of the vessels. This happens when the blood in the broken veins is displaced by the clear sclerosant solution.
Technique is very important and sclerotherapy requires years of practice. The injecting hand is stabilised on the patient’s leg and the non-dominant hand stretches the skin flat. The needle trajectory is very flat against the skin. On occasion, it is helpful to bend the needle to 30 degrees. Serious complications are rare, but healthcare professionals providing sclerotherapy must have the necessary trained assistance, resuscitation equipment and medication to take immediate action to deal with rare and unexpected emergencies. The most common adverse event is extravasation of sclerosant which results in a bleb. Provided a bleb is recognised and injection is stopped immediately, small blebs are of no consequence.
At the VeinCare Centre we have the necessary expertise to ensure that your spider veins are treated safely and effectively even if they are only a cosmetic concern. We are a regulated medical clinic, registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), so you can be assured that we are safe, well-led, effective, caring and responsive.
If you would like to know more about leg spider veins or Microsclerotherapy, do not hesitate to contact us