Surgery for varicose veins in the legs

Advanced varicose veins are not always successfully cured using conservative treatments. Therefore, varicose veins can be surgically removed. Surgical treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs has its own characteristics, rehabilitation methods and contraindications.

When is vein surgery performed?

The following situations require surgery, which can only be performed in a hospital by experienced specialists. Surgical intervention of the lower limbs is necessary in the following cases:

1. If the disease has become widespread and progressive;
2. If the saphenous vein becomes very large;
3. If the flow of blood in the blood vessels is disturbed, this is why the legs constantly hurt, quickly tire and become heavy;
4. If the skin is nutritionally affected;
5. If you have a non-healing trophic ulcer on your leg;
6. If thrombophlebitis worsens.

How to prepare for surgery

Surgery for varicose veins is called phlebectomy. It's important to be prepared in advance. Treating varicose veins surgically begins with passing all the necessary tests and undertaking the necessary physical studies. On the day of surgery you must:

1. Take a shower in the morning;
2. Shave your legs to prevent excess hair from interfering with your doctor's efforts to treat varicose veins;
3. Arrive at the hospital a little earlier than your appointment to prepare for your upcoming surgery.

If the vein is removed using general anesthesia, give the patient a cleansing enema at night.If your doctor recommends surgery to treat varicose veins in your legs, be sure to tell him if you have an allergic reaction to the medication to avoid serious consequences. The surgery is performed using anesthesia and iodine-containing preparations. Therefore, be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to these medications.

If, after lower extremity surgery, the patient requires hospitalization for rehabilitation, the doctor must also be systematically informed of the medications he is taking.

Types of surgery for varicose veins

Treatments for varicose veins in the lower limbs vary. The following types of surgical procedures exist:

• In phlebectomy, only those veins affected by varicose veins are removed. The diseased vein is removed through a small incision in the leg;
• To remove the great saphenous vein and its tributaries, dissection is required. This varicose vein surgery is performed through an incision in the groin fold. Ligate the post-operative vein and place a bandage on the leg;
• During hardening, diseased blood vessels are filled with a special substance that glues them together. What appears is not diseased veins, but scar tissue, which then disappears without a trace with the help of special preparations;
• Treatment of varicose veins in the lower limbs is performed using a laser beam that penetrates the veins through a special puncture. With laser treatment, the veins are welded together, which dissolve and disappear after a period of time. Patient reviews indicate that this surgical intervention is very effective, resulting in no recurrence of the disease.

Today, leg varicose vein surgery is not something to be afraid of. Any intervention is performed through small incisions in the skin. Patients can be discharged home 24 hours after surgery and return to work within a few days.It is important that patients are aware of the possible consequences before undergoing leg surgery. Rehabilitation works in different ways. Treatment after surgery depends on the type of surgery, the site of surgery, and the type of anesthesia. Often after vein resection, the legs will be very painful and even hematoma may appear, which will disappear after a while. During laser treatment, you may experience mild pain in your lower limbs.

recovery after surgery

Recurrence rarely occurs after lower extremity surgery. The patient's further health depends on himself. To avoid hematomas, bleeding, and other complications, you must strictly follow all your doctor's recommendations.When varicose vein surgery fails, it is important to take the following recovery measures:

1. Get adequate rest;
2. Go outside for a walk;
3. Carry out physical exercise taking into account the permissible load determined individually for each patient;
4. follow dietary habits;
5. Wrap the surgical site on the leg tightly with an elastic bandage;
6. Wear specialized knitted compression underwear;
7. Do not lift heavy objects;
8. Watch your weight.

It is strictly prohibited to drink alcohol, do heavy physical work, take hot baths, or drive within two days after lower limb surgery.Within four days, lower limb pain and an increase in body temperature may occur. To cope with this unpleasant symptom, it is recommended to massage the feet. In order to quickly restore blood flow and increase the tone of the venous vessels, intensive activity is recommended.To prevent blood clots, varicose veins are treated with antiplatelet drugs after surgery. Your doctor may prescribe a course of acetylsalicylic acid. To thin the blood, patients are given an injection of glycosaminoglycans.Treatment or prevention of inflammatory processes is carried out with the help of antibiotics. To relieve pain in the lower limbs, doctors will prescribe painkillers.You need to be very careful when hygienic cleaning your surgical leg. Do not get the bandage wet before removing the stitches! Seven days after surgery, the stitches can be removed once the wound has completely healed.Once they are removed, you need to bathe carefully. The scabs near the scar cannot be removed by force, they will fall off on their own. When taking a bath, gently wash your feet with a soft sponge and baby soap. Then blot the scar dry with a soft towel and apply rubbing alcohol or bright green to the scar line. It is not advisable to steam the scar in a sauna or hot bath for one month.

How to eat during recovery

In order to strengthen blood vessels, it is recommended to drink a little dry red wine, beet or tomato juice, grape juice, and eat cranberries, garlic and lemon.For varicose veins, it is recommended:

• Drink apple cider vinegar twice a day. Two tablespoons should be diluted with half a cup of water;
• Among vegetables, cabbage, green peppers, tomatoes, carrots and herbs are considered useful. You can prepare salads with them, dressing them with vegetable oil or lemon juice;
• In terms of fruits, eating gooseberries, black currants, oranges, strawberries, apples, and lemons are beneficial;
• To fill the body with useful substances, cereal porridge can be prepared;
• To replenish your veins with vitamin E, add vegetable oil to your dishes - olive, pumpkin or sunflower oil;
• In order to keep the venous system full of elastin, it is important to include seafood in the diet. It is recommended to eat kelp every day. If income permits, make salads with mussels, crab, shrimp, oysters, and squid;
• To maintain blood vessel health, it is recommended to eat a few walnut kernels every day.

Only proper and balanced nutrition can help you recover faster after phlebectomy surgery.

Possible complications and consequences after surgery

Generally speaking, surgery for varicose veins in the extremities goes well. If the surgical treatment is successful, the patient will be discharged home two days later. But sometimes unexpected complications arise that you need to know about in advance.Possible complications after extremity surgery:

1. Bruises form and disappear on their own within a month. They rarely stay on the skin for more than two months;
2. Sometimes, the skin begins to thicken at the site of the puncture or incision. Within a month, the seal will disappear on its own;
3. If the skin incision touches a nerve ending, the patient may experience pain in the area. It also takes some time for the wound to heal completely;
4. Swelling may occur if the leg is placed under heavy load after surgery. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid strenuous physical labor during the first few days after venous surgery.

In order to avoid the above consequences after surgery, prevention is necessary.

Precaution

Some people's wounds heal quickly, while others develop keloid scars. Therefore, varicose veins not only need to be removed, but all precautions must be taken to avoid adverse consequences.After surgery, experts recommend moving around more and not sitting in one place or lying in bed.Post-operative prevention is as follows:

• First, slowly bend and straighten your knees. Make circular motions with your feet to increase the speed of venous blood flow;
• When sleeping, make sure your legs are slightly higher than your torso;
• After a few days, he began to take the initiative to sit up in bed;
• An elastic bandage is placed on the operated leg, and walking and light physical therapy exercises begin. It is recommended to wear an elastic bandage for three months after surgery.

To prevent recurrence of the disease, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle, undergo physical therapy, go to the swimming pool, and eat a healthy and balanced diet.To avoid the development of varicose veins and eliminate them, you need to exercise, run, walk, swim and attend yoga classes. If you stand for long periods of time throughout the day, take short breaks every two hours—walk first on your heels, then on your toes. To avoid varicose veins during pregnancy, it is recommended to wear special compression stockings or tights.

Contraindications for varicose vein surgery

It is not always possible to remove veins with varicose vein surgery. The disease cannot be treated surgically in people with high blood pressure (in advanced stages of the disease), coronary artery disease, severe infectious diseases, erysipelas, and eczema.The procedure is also contraindicated during pregnancy (especially between 5 and 9 months) and in old age.

It is important that surgery to remove varicose veins is performed by an experienced phlebologist. Therefore, in order not to risk your health, you need to carefully read the reviews of different doctors. Only after a thorough analysis of the information collected about the doctor can you go to the chosen specialist and trust him to solve your problem.

What to do if you have contraindications to surgery

If surgery is not possible for some reason, varicose veins can be treated with conservative methods. The initial stages of the disease can be treated as follows:

1. With the help of a compression garment, dilated blood vessels can remain normal. To choose the right pressure, you need to consult a doctor;
2. You can use yogurt and mugwort decoction to make a lotion for sore areas on your legs. Compresses made from hops infusion, alcoholic tincture of Kalanchoe leaf, honey cabbage, or raw potatoes are also useful;
3. The early stages of varicose veins are treated with leech therapy. The treatment uses leech saliva, which thins the blood and helps it circulate better through the veins. However, small scars are sometimes left on the skin after this treatment;
4. To treat this disease, blue clay is also used to prepare lotions, masks or baths;
5. Varicose veins in the legs can be treated with special ointments, creams, patches, gels or tablets after consulting a doctor.

The conservative approach described can be used only in the initial stages of the disease. If varicose veins have become severe, surgery is inevitable. Therefore, it is very important to seek medical treatment promptly and protect the health of your legs.

How do patients respond to leg varicose vein surgery?

If you carefully study all the reviews about surgical intervention for varicose veins, you can draw the following conclusions. If you have indications for surgery, there is no need to fear. Please proceed as you please and strictly follow all further instructions from your doctor. Soon you will forget about varicose veins and all their unpleasant symptoms.Now you know what types of surgical interventions are available for varicose veins in the legs. How to prepare for surgery and what to do after surgery to avoid unnecessary complications and recurrence.