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Surgery for Varicose veins

has become a relatively benign procedure. Stripping of the vein is done under general or regional, and rarely under local anesthesia. It is performed in a hospital setting as a day surgery. Multiple small incisions (1 cm), the longest being in the groin area (2.5 cm) are made and a special instrument is thread from one end of the dissected vein ( usually in the groin) to the other end of the vein ( below the knee or at the ankle), passing inside the lumen of the vein. On pulling the instrument back it will pull the vein out of its bed. Other veins are then ligated and removed through small incisions.

The leg is elevated at the end of the procedure and the bed of the stripped vein is milked from its blood content; all incisions are closed with absorbable sutures, and the leg is bandaged with compression dressing that is kept for 5 days and nights. If your toes are numb or your foot is pale or blue, you should notify the surgeon or loosen the dressing that might be too tight.

You should expect to see bruising, indurated areas, and redness when you remove the dressing, in some the leg will look worse than before the surgery. All discoloration will usually disappear over a period of 6 to 8 weeks.

You are advised to resume your normal activities, at home, the day following your surgery, you are not supposed to be in bed, it is recommended to do walking exercises, and to avoid taking Aspirin. If you need to take anything for pain or discomfort, try Tylenol ( Acetaminophen).

Depending on your line of work, you will have to take one to two weeks off.