Surgical Treatments For Varicose Veins

Incompetent veins are another way to term them, and you're probably in agreement with that! You've heard all about the weakness in the walls of your veins, the distention, the valves not functioning properly, backflow, leakage, reflux, call it what you will, you still wind up with varicose veins!

So you've explored all the options, and between you, your family, and the doctor, the consensus is surgery. A phlebectomy, to be precise. Phleb=vein, ectomy=removal. Either way you look at it, you're a bit leery about the whole deal. How about a little description of the two surgeries used for this very thing? Thought you'd never ask.

The surgery that needs the least recovery time is the Ambulatory Phlebectomy. Ambulatory=you'll walk in and out of the procedure. Phleb=well, we've already done that one. This is usually done at the doctor's office or an outpatient surgical center. A local anesthesia is all that's needed, so you will be awake the whole time. The Doctor

will make a series of small punctures or incisions, so small you won't even need a stitch.

Through these incisions he will be removing the varicose veins that lie just below the surface of your skin. Don't worry if your varicose vein seems larger than your incision, veins are so collapsible that they can be pulled through very tiny incisions.

When the doctor is finished with the procedure you'll be set up with a compression bandage or compression stocking. The doc will tell you how long you should be wearing it. Then you'll walk right out of the office. In fact, the doc will advise walking or biking after your procedure. This will reduce pressure in your vein, increase blood flow and reduces any clot risk.

The other procedure that is done is for larger vein involvement and goes by the less-fancy name of vein-stripping, and for once a medical procedure tells you exactly what's going to happen. This procedure is usually done in the hospital under general anesthetic which means you'll be asleep, or an epidural block which means you'll be awake but the lower part of your body will be completely numb. The surgeon will make two small incisions, one near your groin (but not that near, don't worry!) and one near your ankle. Then the offending vein will be removed with a long flexible wire that will go down the whole length of it and "strips" the whole vein out.

Many patients get to leave the same day of the procedure. Some docs like for their patient to stay overnight, which means you get jello! Either way, you're back home soon. The whole recovery takes a bout two to six weeks, but most patients are back to work in one to two weeks after the operation. While recuperating, you'll have your leg bandaged for a few weeks. You'll be asked to take short walks and lay down with your leg resting higher than your heart several times a day.

So that's the whole story in a nutshell, well, OK, quite a big nutshell. But, we hope it's helpful. Good luck!

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