Varicose Vein Surgery: Surgical Ligation and Stripping
With this
varicose vein surgery, problematic veins are tied shut and completely removed from the leg. Removing the veins does not affect the circulation of blood in the leg. Veins deeper in the leg take care of the larger volumes of blood. Most varicose veins removed by surgery are surface veins and collect blood only from the skin.
This surgery for varicose veins requires either local or general anesthesia, and must be done in an operating room on an outpatient basis.
Possible side effects from this varicose vein surgery may include the following:
- There is a risk of heart and breathing problems from the general anesthesia.
- Bleeding and congestion of blood can be a problem; however, the collected blood usually settles on its own and does not require any further treatment.
- Wound infection, inflammation, swelling, and redness.
- Permanent scars.
- Damage of nerve tissue around the treated vein. It is hard to avoid harming small nerve branches when veins are removed. This damage can cause numbness, burning, or a change in sensation around the surgical scar.
- A deep-vein blood clot. These clots can travel to the lungs and heart. Injections of heparin, a medicine that reduces blood clotting, reduce the chance of these dangerous blood clots. Heparin also can increase the normal amount of bleeding and bruising after surgery.
- Significant pain in the leg and recovery time of one to four weeks, depending on the extent of surgery, is typical afterwards.
Serious side effects or problems from this surgery are uncommon.
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