Vein Drain: How Surgery Can Treat Varicose Veins When Compression Stockings Fail

Contrary to popular belief, varicose veins can have a far more serious effect on your body than simply making your legs look unsightly -- if left untreated, they can lead to widespread inflammation, skin thickening and painful ulceration. Fortunately, many cases of varicose veins can be treated without painful or invasive procedures, and compression stockings can prevent further engorgement of the affected veins. Unfortunately, compression stockings are not always effective, and surgery may be necessary to properly treat the varicose veins and prevent complications.

While undergoing surgery is a nerve-wracking event for anybody, you should not be afraid of undergoing varicose vein surgery. A number of simple and minimally invasive techniques have been developed that minimise recovery times and chances of complications -- some methods can even be performed while the patient is conscious, and some patients can leave hospital less than 24 hours after surgery is complete. The various types of varicose vein surgery available are listed below, and you should consult extensively with your doctor about which one is the right one for your needs:

Endovenous thermal ablation

The goal of varicose vein surgery is not to repair the affected veins, but to close them off entirely from the rest of the circulatory system. This prevents the veins from affecting other organs and structures in the body, and the veins that lie deeper within the leg are more than capable of making up for the shortfall. Endovenous thermal ablation is one way of closing off the offending veins, and its simplicity and effectiveness generally means it is considered before more advanced procedures.

During the ablation procedure, a small incision is made near the knee and a catheter fitted with thermal equipment is inserted. This catheter is guided into the varicose veins using ultrasound scanning -- once the catheter is inside the vein, it produces heat, which causes the vein to collapse and essentially seal itself. Thermal catheters may use radio waves, lasers or even steam jets to induce the vein to collapse.

Endovenous thermal ablation is usually carried out under local anaesthesia, and the tiny incision used to insert the catheter heals quickly, allowing you to resume normal life remarkably quickly. However, you may experience some transient side effects for a few days or weeks after the procedure, including pins and needles, bruising and swelling. You may also suffer from minor damage to the nerves close to the varicose veins, but this damage is very rarely permanent.

Ligation and stripping

In cases where thermal ablation fails or is not suitable for you, ligation and stripping are generally used to remove problem veins. This is a more invasive procedure, but the incisions made to allow surgeons to access the vein are still quite small and can be expected to heal quickly. During a vein stripping procedure, incisions are made at the top and bottom of the vein, with the top incision being used to tie off the vein from the rest of the bloodstream. A thin metal wire is then passed through the varicose vein and is pulled out of the bottom incision, taking the vein with it.

Ligation and stripping, despite its rather nasty sounding name, can still be recovered from quickly, and most patients who undergo it can return to their normal lives within a month. You may suffer some temporary side effects such as pain, bruising and swelling, and you may also be required to keep using your compression stockings for a short period after surgery. In extremely rare cases ligation and stripping can cause dangerous complications such as deep vein thrombosis, so discuss the risks and advantages of this procedure with your doctors and surgeons before proceeding.

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