Vein Surgery & Sclerotherapy in Orange County & Newport Beach

Patient Specific Questions | FAQ

Procedure Overview

Procedure: Eliminating health risks and improving the comfort and appearance of your legs by removal of varicose veins and/or spider veins using a) laser surgery, which sends strong bursts of light into the vein for the removal of spider veins, b) sclerotherapy, which requires the injection of a solution that stops blood flow and turns the vein into scar tissue to eliminate small to medium-sized veins, or c) surgical ligation and stripping, where the vein is tied shut and completely removed, for the treatment of larger-sized veins

Length: 2 to 3 hours for surgical ligation and stripping, and 15 minutes to 1 hour for laser surgery and sclerotherapy

Anesthesia: Spinal anesthesia, epidural anesthesia, general anesthesia, topical anesthetic cream or no anesthesia, depending of the method of treatment

Place of Treatment: Outpatient surgical suite or hospital operating room for surgical ligation and stripping, and office-based surgical facility for laser surgery and sclerotherapy.

Recovery:

  1. Laser surgery patients can usually resume normal activity immediately after the procedure, but it is recommended that patients avoid strenuous activities for the first 24 hours after surgery.
  2. Sclerotherapy patients can usually resume normal activity immediately after the procedure, but it is recommended that patients avoid strenuous activities for the first few days after surgery.
  3. Patients undergoing surgical ligation and stripping can usually resume normal activity 2 weeks after the operation.  However, patients should avoid strenuous activity for 4 weeks after surgery.

Duration of Results: Most patients are extremely satisfied with the removal of their painful, or unsightly varicose/spider veins.  The treated vein typically becomes clearer with each successive treatment and/or is completely effaced, depending on the method of treatment.  Unfortunately, there is a risk that smaller varicose veins may emerge after ligation and stripping of a large varicose vein.  However in most cases, varicose/spider veins are reduced in number permanently and patients enjoy a lifetime of improved health, comfort and appearance.

Side Effects: Side effects are events that may be experienced by patients as a result of your surgery and should not be considered adverse events. Our patients are counseled regarding these effects and if experienced they are tolerable and often temporary in duration.

Laser surgery:

  1. Redness or swelling of the skin, which usually subsides in a few days
  2. Hyperpigmentation (darkening) or hypopigmentation (whitening) of the skin, which usually disappears within 2 months
  3. Blistering which resolves with time.

Sclerotherapy:

  1. Temporary cramps, stinging sensation, red raised patches of skin, small skin sores, or bruises at the injection site
  2. Temporary spots, groups of fine red blood vessels, or brown lines surrounding the treated vein which will fade with time.
  3. Inflammation of the treated vein, which can be treated by applying heat and taking aspirin or antibiotics
  4. Lumps of clotted blood in the treated vein, which can be drained

Surgical ligation and stripping:

  1. Bruising near the surgical area, which is the most common side effect and greatly diminishes in a few days or weeks
  2. Temporary swelling of the leg, which is caused by the disruption of the lymphatic system during surgery.  The patient will wear compression stockings to minimize the swelling, which usually disappears in 2 to 3 weeks.  The compression stockings will also prevent blood from collecting in the legs and causing clots.
  3. Smaller varicose veins may re-emerge after vein removal surgery

Risks: Risks are unwanted events that may occur during or following surgery. These events are recognized as “complications” but their occurrence is minimized by appropriate patient selection, proper surgical decision making, effective surgical technique, and thorough preoperative and postoperative patient management.

Laser surgery:

  1. Scarring: Permanent scarring may occur following mild burns (sun burn like) and usually become less apparent over time and can even fade to the natural skin color with time.

Sclerotherapy:

  1. Scarring: Permanent scarring may occur if there is skin compromise following injection but these usually become less apparent over time and can even fade to natural skin color.

Surgical ligation and stripping:

  1. Scarring: Permanent scarring may occur at the site of surgical incisions but these usually become less apparent over time and can even fade to thin white lines.
  2. Hematoma: Hematoma refers to the accumulation of blood in the early postoperative period, which pools into a pocket. Hematomas provide a perfect medium for harboring growth of bacteria. So if you have an infection anywhere in your body, the bacteria will travel through the blood stream and grow in the hematoma; this can lead to an infection as well as an open wound. In order to avoid a hematoma, compression garments are applied immediately following surgery.
  3. Infection: An infection can occur following surgical treatment of varicose veins.  Patients with leg ulcers or fungal infections are more likely to develop infections at the surgery site.  The infection will disrupt the incision line and may leave the patient with an open wound. Prolonged antibiotics are required to fight the infection and to prevent further extension of the infection. Infections are usually avoided by using drains, which will prevent hematoma formation. In addition, infections are less likely in patients who don’t smoke cigarettes or in patients who quit smoking for at least 1 month prior to surgery. 
  4. Injury to the saphenous nerve may occur, which results in numbness, tingling, or burning sensations around the ankles.  This problem usually subsides in 6 to 12 months without any treatment.
  5. In extremely rare cases, arteries in the thigh and groin area may be injured.
  6. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may occur in the legs immediately following surgery. DVT refers to the clotting off of leg veins which may result in compromised blood flow return from the legs; a more critical consequence may develop from this clot if it is dislodged and travels to the lungs causing a pulmonary emboli. Although rare, pulmonary emboli are the leading cause of death following surgery. DVT’s are avoided with routine use of pneumatic compression boots during surgery and encouraging patients to walk as soon as possible following surgery.