If you’re looking to get rid of large, problematic varicose veins that cause pain, swelling, and heaviness in your legs, your vein specialist may recommend the removal of the damaged veins through two minor surgical procedures known as vein ligation and stripping.

These procedures are mostly used to treat severe cases of varicose veins, usually after addressing smaller vein problems with a minimally invasive procedure such as sclerotherapy. During vein ligation, your surgeon will make a small incision through your skin and surgically tie the affected vein. With vein stripping, a similar incision is made but with the view to removing the problematic vein.

What to Expect

If your vein specialist recommends vein ligation and stripping, it is best that you take the rest of the day off and ask someone to drop you off at the center and pick you up later because you’ll be sedated. Some tests will need to be done prior to the procedure to ensure the presence and location of varicose veins and to avoid any complications.

The doctor will numb the area before making a small cut over the damaged veins. During litigation, the problematic veins are tied off to force the blood to redirect and flow through other healthy veins. The vein is not removed, which allows other blood vessels to reconnect to healthier parts of the vein to continue circulating blood.

But if the vein and valves are severely damaged, the entire portion of the valve may be surgically removed or stripped. This requires the surgeon to insert a flexible instrument up the damaged vein, grasp it, and then remove it. Blood is automatically redirected to other healthy veins.

The procedure itself takes between 2 and 3 hours. You should be able to go home the same day, but it’s recommended that you wait a few hours to recover from the regional or general anesthesia used during the surgery.

Post Surgery Care

Vein ligation and stripping is a safe, minor surgical procedure that helps to treat the symptoms of venous incompetence, including swelling and ulceration, and prevent varicose veins recurrence. Your vein specialist in Ventura & Los Angeles will discuss any side effects that may result from the procedure, such as as scarring, and provide directions for care and preventing other varicose veins from emerging. You should be able to return to your normal activities after a few days of rest.