New Guidelines Issued: July 2013- NICE: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK) have released guidelines for the diagnosis and management of varicose veins.
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14226/64566/64566.pdf
These guidelines provide further support that firstly Endothermal Ablation and secondly Ultrasound Guided Foam Sclerotherapy are the recommended techniques for the removal of varicose veins. Surgical stripping of varicose veins should only be considered if these techniques are NOT suitable.
These guidelines are published on page 10.
Interventional treatment
1.3.2 For people with confirmed varicose veins and truncal reflux:
- Offer endothermal ablation (see Radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins [NICE interventional procedure guidance 8] and Endovenous laser treatment of the long saphenous vein [NICE interventional procedure guidance 52]).
- If endothermal ablation is unsuitable, offer ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (see Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins [NICE interventional procedure guidance 440]).
- If ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is unsuitable, offer surgery.