Can sclerotherapy be used to ablate any portion of the GSV that EVTA may not have gotten, or does the catheter procedure have to finish it up?
The 5-6 week post ultrasound shows both GSV were ablated and no DVT's supposedly, but there is a 1-2 inch varicose vein on the medial side of the knee by one of the insertions that is still there. I thought that was GSV, but can a tributary be literally right next to it? When I bend my leg up into a position to get into bed about a 10" line in the region is sore.
Also, on the back of the calf there is a slightly bulged out region of 4"x3" that is lumpy. Can that happen after the GSV is ablated
Answers from doctors (2)
If there are varicose veins present prior to surgery, I mark them and remove them via microphlebectomy (tiny punctures) at the same time as the laser ablation. This is more convenient for my patients and more cost effective for them also. If there are small tributaries of short segments of the GSV still refluxing, these can in treated with Ultrasound guided injections. The area in the inside of your knee may be the GSV remnant which is sealed and takes time for your body to resolve. Often massage with some pressure several times per day can soften and speed up healing. You are still in the early days. If all the varicose veins in the calf were not removed, you may have a little area of clotted off veins and again, massage and low heat often will speed up healing. You should be seen again by your surgeon - we follow up again at 6 weeks.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Closing down the truncal veins (GSV and SSV) doesn't necessarily mean the varicose veins will automatically disappear. Sometimes they do collapse after the procedure if some heat from the laser enters the tributaries, but most patients will need sclerotherapy or ambulatory phlebectomy to treat the varicose veins.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
