Varicose veins are painful and bulging veins in the legs caused by a breakdown in the valves that keep blood flowing upward toward the heart. They affect many people, causing pressure, pain, and swelling. In more advanced cases, varicose veins can also cause ulcers and chronic wounds. Surgery can be a good option to repair varicose veins and improve your quality of life.
Our approach
At M Health Fairview, our surgeons repair varicose veins in a variety of ways depending on each patient’s needs. Typically, your surgeon will begin with an ultrasound to evaluate the deep veins as well as the main vein systems. This will help them see how widespread the damage is and help them choose the right method of treatment.
Options include:
Sclerotherapy. This uses a solution injected into the varicose vein to close and shrink the vein.
Catheter-based treatments using radiofrequency or laser energy. In this case, a catheter is used to administer heat or laser energy to close off the varicose vein.
Vein stripping. This is much less common than it used to be due to the rise of less invasive procedures, but it may still be performed.
Ambulatory phlebectomy. In this treatment, small varicose veins are removed through tiny cuts in the skin.
Most of these treatments can now be administered in a clinical setting, rather than in an operating room. This allows patients to have a faster recovery time and less side effects.
If you think you have varicose veins and would like to know what options may exist for surgical treatment, speak to your primary care provider.
