The importance of Follow-up Ultrasound Scans after Varicose Vein procedures

The use of colour Duplex ultrasound scans to diagnose venous conditions and guide modern treatments such as the endovenous laser has been one of the great advances in vascular medicine and surgery.

However, Duplex scans are also an important quality control method and are an essential part of the follow-up process after venous treatments.

The research I undertook as part of my Doctorate of Medicine thesis established ultrasound quality control as an important principle to improve patient outcomes. It is absolutely essential to apply a method to ensure that the result of any treatment has achieved its objective.

Therefore, all my venous patients undergo a repeat colour Duplex ultrasound scan as part of their routine follow-up consultation to ensure that the treatment has been 100% successful. Just relying on physical examination alone can be misleading and the scan can detect sections of vein which may not have completely sealed. Detected early, these veins can often be simply treated in the outpatient clinic. If missed, these veins can be a cause of early recurrent varicose veins which require further surgery to correct them.