Most of us have heard of varicose vein stripping to treat varicose veins. Many patients have friends or family that have undergone stripping and report how painful and difficult the recovery process was. This often dates from years ago and has led to some patients delaying their own treatment.
There are now a multitude of minimally invasive options that provide excellent treatment for the varicose veins and allow rapid return to normal activities.
Not that varicose veins stripping is a bad procedure, and in some patients with particularly large varicose veins, it may still be the best option. The surgery involves isolating the abnormal vein and literally pulling it out (stripping) of the leg. The newer options do not physically remove the vein and instead block the vein to stop the abnormal blood flow and eradicate the varicose veins.
Options include endovenous ablation (laser or radio-frequency), glue and ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy. Which is best for you depends on the type of varicose veins, their size and the source of the abnormal veins. This needs to be individualised for each person. All of the newer techniques allow same day treatment and rapid return to usual activities.
Please get in touch to discuss options or concerns.