Varicose veins can become enlarged, swollen, and twisted under the skin, causing extensive problems with leg function and can be especially painful. If other forms of treatment haven’t worked to relieve your pain and discomfort, then one treatment option our physicians can provide is vein stripping. Vein stripping is a surgical procedure that surgically removes varicose veins from the legs and thighs. This treatment can help treat these veins and prevent them from coming back.

How is the Vein Stripping Procedure Performed?

Whether you’re concerned about the cosmetic appearance of your legs, experience constant pain, or have a severe risk of blood clots, vein stripping can be done to help the affected veins and help promote better blood flow. Varicose veins often result from venous insufficiency, when the body’s unable to circulate blood to and from the heart. When varicose veins develop, they can cause open sores, skin damage, excessive swelling, and throbbing pain if left untreated for long periods.

Vein stripping works to remove the varicose veins and can be used to prevent further complications from vein damage. As a safe, low-risk procedure, this treatment option can be used for patients with varicose veins that have begun to experience moderate symptoms of pain, swelling, and heaviness. This surgery can be performed in numerous ways, including:

• Vein Stripping Ligation: Ligation refers to tying off the affected vein to prevent it from flowing blood deeper into the superficial system. Ligation techniques are used in tandem with ablation to close off the treated veins and promote better blood flow.
• Vein Stripping Avulsion: Through this procedure, the avulsion technique is used to treat multiple groups of the varicose vein after a ligation. This technique uses small incisions to interrupt or excise the varicose veins using hooks and forceps.
• Vein Stripping Ablation: The Ablation technique works to heat the veins, sealing the vein and closing off the connected areas so that way blood flow can be transferred to other healthy vein structures.

Through these three techniques and general anesthesia, our surgeons will be able to provide a minor, low-risk solution to your varicose veins. Once the procedure is completed, our physicians will close the cuts with stitches and place bandages or compression stockings along the legs. We will provide you with further post-operative instructions to follow to promote healing.

Am I A Candidate For Vein Stripping Treatment?

While varicose vein stripping is a low-risk procedure, this procedure does come with some risks. Varicose stripping isn’t recommended for pregnant women, people with severe leg circulation, people with already existing skin infections, people who are overweight, and people with severe blood clotting issues. After treatment, it can approximately take four weeks to a month to recover, depending on how many veins were stripped and where they were located. During recovery, it’s essential to keep your legs elevated, wear compression socks, and keep an eye out for any changes that may occur.

For more information about vein stripping and how we can treat varicose veins, contact the Vein Center of North Texas today to learn more about our treatment options.