Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy in Honolulu, explained with care

What is ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy closes a vein with a medicine, called a sclerosant, placed inside it as a liquid or foam. The medicine irritates the vein’s lining so it seals shut. Your body then absorbs the closed vein, and blood flows through healthy veins instead.

With ultrasound guidance, Dr. Yeo watches the vein on an ultrasound screen as the needle goes in and the medicine fills it. That makes it possible to treat veins that sit below the skin’s surface, not just the ones you can see.

What it treats

• Veins beneath the skin that feed varicose veins and spider veins
• Varicose veins that remain after VenaSeal, ClosureFast, or Varithena
• Veins that come back after earlier treatment
• Spider veins, including ones that keep returning

How it works

1. Mapping. A painless ultrasound shows which veins beneath the skin are leaking, so we know exactly which ones to treat.
2. Treatment. With the ultrasound probe on your leg, Dr. Yeo guides a very fine needle into the vein and watches the medicine spread. Each session takes about 15–30 minutes, and usually no numbing is needed.
3. After. You walk out afterward and can return to most normal activities the same day. You may wear compression stockings for a short time and avoid strenuous exercise for a few days. We’ll give you instructions for your treatment.

What to expect

• Treated veins fade gradually over several weeks
• Some people need a short series of sessions for the best result
• Bruising, tender lumps, or temporary brown marks along the treated veins can happen and usually fade
• New veins can appear over time, and can be treated the same way

Insurance

When ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy is part of treating symptomatic vein disease, such as varicose veins that remain after a larger vein is closed, it may be covered by insurance. Treating spider veins for appearance alone is usually considered cosmetic. We check your coverage before your visit, and you can call or text us for current pricing. More about insurance and cost.

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