Varicose Veins Stripping – Radical Procedure

Most varicose veins cause people little or no medical problems, and are usually considered a cosmetic issue. However, in some cases additional problems nay exist which will prompt a physician to take extreme action,

With most cases of varicose veins, stripping them from the body is the only alternative.

During the past ten or 15 years, alternative means of removing or reducing varicose veins have developed and tried, but currently there is no information concerning the long-term effects of these methods as well as no known record of recurrence.

With varicose veins stripping the recurrence is about five percent.

As an alternative to varicose veins stripping, some try needle therapy, which involves the injection of a chemical into the vein, which causes scar tissue to form inside the vein, effectively shutting off its use. Sclerotherapy, as it is known is normally limited to small veins below the knee.

It is not used on large varicose veins or on veins that end at the groin nor on obese patients. In most of these cases varicose veins stripping is the only option.

Stripping Is Only Option for Larger Varicose Veins

Saphenous veins, the largest veins near the surface of the skin, can only be treated by varicose veins stripping. For this operation, a surgeon will make two cuts, one in the groin and one near the ankle and pass a wire from the ankle to the open end near the groin.

Smaller veins are tied off and once the wire is run all the way up, the surgeon will grip the groin end and pull, bringing the vein out with it.

This type of surgery may require an overnight stay in the hospital, and recovery can take as long as two to six weeks. During your recovery, under direction of the doctor, you should begin short walking session, typically five minutes at a time for the first few days and then getting longer as you recover from the varicose veins stripping operation.

Depending on their occupation, a person undergoing this operation can usually return to work within two weeks.

Since 1999, a closure technique has been used in which a catheter is inserted into the vein, which applies a radio frequency to the vein wall causing it to shrink and seal shut. When the vein has been put out of commission adjacent veins take over its duties to help restore normal blood flow from the legs.

This minimally invasive procedure is being used in place of varicose veins stripping, but long term effects are not yet known.