Possible Complications

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

En Español

Treatment of Varicose Veins of the Leg

by Amy Scholten, MPH

Definition

Varicose vein treatment involves taking out or causing damage to varicose veins just under the skin.

Different procedures may involve:

Sclerotherapy—injects the varicose veins with a chemical to shrink them
Radiofrequency ablation—collapses and seals varicose veins using radiofrequency energy
Adhesive sealing—seals the affected veins that are close to the skin
Vein stripping—surgery to take out the affected vein
Phlebectomy—small incisions and a needle or small scalpel are used to remove the affected vein

Varicose Veins

Reasons for Procedure

The procedures may be done to treat or prevent problems from various veins, such as:

Burning, aching, or throbbing
Blood clots in the legs
Discolored skin and ulcers
Not liking the way the veins look

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

Return of varicose veins
Bleeding
Infection
Changes in skin color at the surgical site
Deep vein thrombosis

Smoking may increase the risk of having these problems.

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

The doctor may meet with you to talk about:

Anesthesia options
Any allergies you may have
Current medicines, herbs, and supplements that you take and whether you need to stop taking them before the procedure
Fasting before the procedure, such as avoiding food or drink after midnight the night before
Whether you need a ride to and from the procedure
Tests that will need to be done before the procedure

Anesthesia

The anesthesia will depend on the type of procedure. The doctor may give:

General anesthesia—you will be asleep
Spinal anesthesia — you will be numb from the belly down

Description of the Procedure

Sclerotherapy

A chemical will be injected into each of the damaged veins. It will scar the vein so that it cannot move blood.

Adhesive Sealing

A small tube will be inserted into the damaged vein. An ultrasound is used to view the placement of the tube. An adhesive is injected into the tube to seal the vein.

Radiofrequency or Laser Ablation

The vein will be viewed using an ultrasound. Then, the vein will be punctured near the knee. A tube will be threaded up to the groin. The space between the vein and the skin will be filled with a special solution. This solution will numb the area. The tube will then be attached to a radiofrequency generator or a laser. Heat or light energy will seal the vein closed.

Vein Stripping

Incisions are made in the top, middle, and bottom of the leg. The veins will be removed by threading a long wire into them. Each vein will be tied to this wire and then stripped out. This will leave the smaller side branches broken off and in place.

Phlebectomy

Many small incisions will be made to access each varicose vein. The vein will either be tied off or removed.

After the Procedure

If vein stripping is done, the leg will be tightly wrapped. This is to prevent blood from leaking out of the veins.

How Long Will It Take?

Sclerotherapy—short office visit
Adhesive sealing—short office visit
Radiofrequency or laser ablation—1 hour
Vein stripping—1 to 1½ hours
Phlebectomy—2 to4 hours

Will It Hurt?

There will be some discomfort after the procedure. Medicine will help ease pain..

Post-procedure Care

At Home

Recovery time varies. It depends on the procedure. Surgery will take longer—up to a few weeks.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you have:

Fever or chills
Excess bleeding, redness, swelling, or discharge from the incisions
Pain that you cannot control with the medicine
Problems passing urine (pee)
Coughing, breathing problems, or chest pain
Leg swelling

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

RESOURCES:

American College of Phlebology
http://www.phlebology.org

Society for Vascular Surgery
https://vascular.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery
https://vascular.ca

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

References:

Varicose veins. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/varicose-veins. Accessed September 9, 2021.

Varicose veins. Society for Vascular surgery website. Available at: https://vascular.org/patient-resources/vascular-conditions/varicose-veins. Accessed September 9, 2021.

Varicose veins and spider veins. Office on Women's Health website. Available at: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/varicose-veins-and-spider-veins. Accessed September 9, 2021.

Zolotukhin IA, Seliverstov EI, et al. Short-term results of isolated phlebectomy with preservation of incompetent great saphenous vein (ASVAL procedure) in primary varicose veins disease. Phlebology. 2017;32(9):601-607.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Nicole Meregian, PA
Last Updated: 9/9/2021

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