Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins
Summary
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins in August 2009.
This replaced the previous guidance on Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins (Interventional Procedures Guidance no.217, May 2007) and Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins (Interventional Procedures Guidance no.182, June 2006)
Description
Varicose veins are veins that have become wider than normal and are unable to transport blood properly. Symptoms include heaviness, aching, throbbing, itching, cramps or fatigue in the legs. In severe cases, patients may have skin discolouration, inflammation, or skin ulcers. Foam sclerotherapy involves injecting a foam (which may either be a prepared product, or produced by mixing a chemical with air or other gas) into the affected vein. This inflames the vein and causes it to close Sometimes patients may need more than one injection to block the vein.
OPCS4.6 Code(s):
L86.2 Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose vein of leg
The NHS Classifications Service of NHS Connecting for Health is the central definitive source for clinical coding guidance and determines the coding standards associated with the classifications (OPCS-4 and ICD-10) to be used across the NHS. The NHS Classifications Service and NICE work collaboratively to ensure the most appropriate classification codes are provided. www.connectingforhealth.co.uk/clinicalcoding
Details
Surgical procedures
Contact details:
Interventional Procedures Programme
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NA
Links:
This page was last updated: 11 February 2011
