What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is a procedure used to treat blood vessels or blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations). A medicine is injected into the vessels, which makes them shrink. This is one method, along with surgery, radiofrequency and laser ablation, for treatment of varicose veins and venous malformations. In ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, ultrasound is used to visualize the underlying vein so the physician can deliver and monitor the injection. Sclerotherapy is often done under ultrasound guidance after venous abnormalities have been diagnosed with duplex ultrasound.