Surgical treatment for varicose veins
Large varicose veins may require sometimes surgically remove. Varicose vein surgery involving general anesthesia the patient. However, most times you can go home the same day after surgery.
In some cases it may be required staying overnight in the hospital, especially if surgery was performed on both legs.
With varicose vein surgery, problematic veins are tied and then closed completely removed from the leg. Removing (stripping) veins does not affect blood circulation in the foot.
The deep veins will move a larger volume of blood. Most varicose veins removed with surgical intervention are surface veins and collect blood only from the skin. This surgery requires local or general anesthesia and can be done in outpatient.
Possible side effects of this surgery include:
- risk of cardiac and respiratory problems involved general anesthesia
- bleeding and blood congestion can be a problem. However, you will not need further treatment, most times this situation normalizes itself
- wound infection, inflammation, swelling and redness
- permanent scarring
- damage to nerve tissue around the treated vein. It is difficult to avoid harming small venous branches when veins are removed. This inconvenience can cause numbness, burning sensations or changes of the surgical scar.
- a blood clot in the deep veins. These clots can get into the lungs and into the heart. Heparin injections may be not necessary to reduce blood clotting and will diminish the danger posed by these clots. Heparin may increase the amount of blood and bruises probability of occurrence after surgery.
- significant foot pain and recovery time of 2-4 weeks, depending on the extent of surgery chirurigcale.
Serious side effects or complications posed by this operation are uncommon.
During the outpatient surgical intervention area will be marked with a special light source. It will make small incisions in the skin and using surgical hooks will be removed from the leg vein. The procedure requires local anesthesia. Vein usually is removed during a single surgery, the record only the presence of small scars. Patients can return to normal activities the day after treatment.
Possible side effects may include:
- easy bruising
- temporary numbness
- sclerotherapy
The procedure will be performed under local anesthesia. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a chemical into veins varicose veins will damage and will close. Sclerotherapy with liquid substance is often used to treat small veins located below the knee. Foam sclerotherapy is used to treat larger veins.
The legs are then tightly bandaged and the patient will need to wear compression stockings. Studies have shown that this treatment is effective for treating varicose veins in a very short time. However, benefits are not fully known long term.
The procedure involves serious complications such as stroke or cardiovascular problems and should not be performed if you have a history of deep venous thrombosis. It is important to talk to your surgeon about the safety involved ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy. The surgeon will present the best options to help you decide which treatment is best for you.
Endoscopic vein surgery
During endoscopic surgery on veins, is used a video camera to see inside the small veins. Then varicose veins are removed through small cuts. Those who support this operation will be a type of anesthesia, whether it is epidural, spinal or general anesthesia. Patients can return to normal activity within a few weeks after surgery.
Preparing for surgery on varicose veins
The surgeon will provide guidance on preparing the patient for the procedure. For example, those who smoke will be asked to stop smoking because the habit can slow recovery and can lead to wound infection. The patient must make fasting. Do not eat nor drink about 6 hours before surgery.
However, it is especially important to follow the advice of the anesthetist. The surgeon will expose the patient in detail technique that you use will tell what will happen before, during and after the procedure, and what kind of pain might occur.
Recovery after surgery for varicose veins
If you have pain, you can take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you have any questions about these medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Temporary anesthesia temporarily affect your coordination skills and ability to reason.
You should not drink alcohol, use machinery, or sign legal documents for 24 hours after anesthesia. You should not drive if you are not sure. If in doubt about driving, it would be advisable to go accompanied by another person to drive the car.
Recovery time will be different: it’s important if surgery was performed in one or both legs and exactly what procedure was used.
There are a few key things to remember during recovery after varicose vein surgery:
- make no strenuous exercise and no lifting weights for a few weeks
- not stand for long periods of time – in the first weeks
- your legs when you sit on a chair before balances to prevent leg swelling and reduce pressure on the wound.
Complications
Complications can occur during or after surgery. These occur at a fairly low percentage of patients. Possible complications of each surgery include unexpected reaction to the anesthetic: infection, excessive bleeding or the formation of a blood clot in a vein in the leg (deep vein thrombosis).
Specific Complications of varicose vein surgery are less common, but may involve:
- damage to the nerves in the skin
- sometimes can form hard lumps along the scar from where it was removed vein – they disappear after a few weeks.
- damage to the deep veins of the legs.