By USDR
Varicose veins are a common condition that many Americans suffer from. There are many modes of treatment available for this ailment including different surgical procedures. Though surgery is often the most effective treatment for varicose veins, not everyone is comfortable about undergoing the procedures.
Some special cases to consider
- It is advisable to wait for a minimum period of 6 weeks after childbirth to consider the option of surgery. The newly developed varicose veins during the time of pregnancy tend to subside after six weeks to two months after delivery.
- If the varicose veins bother an individual only for the cosmetic reasons, then surgery may not be an ideal option to choose.
Surgery is mostly reserved to those who do not get any relief from primary treatment modalities such as lifestyle changes. Those who are seeking relief from varicose veins for cosmetic reasons can think of methods like laser treatment or sclerotherapy.
Specifics about surgery
Before you choose to undergo surgery, there are a few things you need to know.
- The majority of the varicose vein surgical treatments are outpatient procedures.
- Typical Varicose Veins Houstonfacilities prefer vein ligation (tying of veins), avulsion (pulling away) of the small branches of the vein, or stripping.
- There are risks and benefits of all types of varicose vein surgeries. Healthcare professionals should discuss all these with the patient and get an informed consent before proceeding.
- There is also a chance for recurrence of varicose veins which may be due to failure to ligate the veins properly or with the use of incompetent perforator veins.
Surgical procedures
1) Avulsion (pulling the veins away)
Avulsion is performed by creating many small incisions through which varicose veins are removed.
2) Stripping
Stripping is done by creating a minimum of two incisions at the groin and one closer to the knee. A tunneling device is placed underneath the skin between two points, and saphenous vein will be pulled out through the tunnel. There will be only a couple of scars left by this procedure. However, bruising and bleeding can be high sometimes. Pressure dressings usually control bleeding.
The recovery period from vein stripping may be between five and ten days before returning to routine. For vein ligation, a few additional days is enough. However, there is a possibility of long-lasting mild numbness from nerve damage.
3) Laser therapy (endovascular)
Laser beams are used to destroy varicose veins, and this procedure is usually performed as an outpatient treatment in the doctor’s office and will hardly take only 30-45 minutes. The laser is passed into the vein through ultrasound guidance. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. In this procedure, recovery is rapid, and pain is minimal.
Radiofrequency ablation is also another smart technique like endovascular laser therapy. The conventional type of ligation treatment is also there. It is one of the oldest surgical modalities for varicose veins.
Author Bio: Catherine McGuire is a Varicose Veins Houston surgeon, functioning as a consulting vein specialist in many facilities in this region. She has also posted many self-help articles for varicose vein cure at home.