Target Audience

Target audience

• Consultant Surgeons and Consultant Radiologist
• Trainees in Surgery and Radiology

Existing Skills Required

• Basic competence in duplex ultrasonography of the venous system.
• Understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathology of the venous system of the lower limb Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy

A brief history

The use of injections to treat VV dates back more than 100 years. In 1942 Orbach described a method of creating a foam or froth with the solution he injected. He found that this increased the efficacy of injection treatment by five times. This method was used by a small number of surgeons but never found a great following. In 1992 Juan Cabrera, a doctor from Granada in Spain , found that he could greatly enhance the effectiveness of injection treatment by using what he called 'microfoam'. Dr Cabrera also used ultrasound imaging to guide his injections into the main surface veins and found that he no longer needed surgical methods to treat his patients. Over the last 15 years the use of foam sclerotherapy has spread rapidly across Europe and is now used widely in France , Spain , Italy and Germany ; as well as in the United States , South America , Australia and New Zealand . Numerous papers from across the world published in peer-reviewed journals attest to the clinical and cost-effectiveness, as well as the safety, of foam sclerotherapy.

Why should I go on a course?

• Superficially, foam sclerotherapy appears to be a simple technique that can be ‘picked up’ easily without the need for any formal training or proctoring – wrong!
• As with varicose vein surgery, there are numerous ‘traps’ into which the inexperienced practitioner can fall leading to unhappy patients, a damaged practice and even medicolegal consequences.
• Foam sclerotherapy requires knowledge and skill in venous duplex; something that most UK vascular surgeons do not have and must be acquired before introducing foam to your practice.
• Clinical governance and credentialling requirements, as well as indemnity, in the public and private sectors mandate formal training and proctoring.
• And lastly, why struggle and worry trying to ‘re-invent the wheel’, when you can get personal teaching and training from experts who between them have successfully treated over 1000 patients.

A period formal training and proctoring will allow you to introduce foam into your practice more safely, effectively and rapidly leading, of course, to greater returns on your investment.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has considered this treatment and published draft advice.