Varicose Vein Surgery

When you see a doctor about varicose vein surgery, the treatment you’re offered often comes down to your doctor’s skill and preference for different techniques, and may not always align to your exact wants and needs as a patient. In this review, we share six questions to ask before varicose vein surgery to ensure you are fully educated.

Because we reference them throughout this review, we’ll start by summarizing the most common varicose vein treatment methods.

Foam Sclerotherapy: foam sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment that involves the injection of a chemical solution called a sclerosant. The solution has a foamy consistency that fills the vein, displacing blood while the sclerosant irritates the vein walls, effectively closing off the vein.

Thermal Vein Ablation: thermal ablation is a minimally invasive treatment uses laser or radiofrequency energy to apply heat to the inside of the vein. This is done with catheter-based medical devices that are designed specifically for the veins. Intense heat causes the vein to collapse and seal shut.

VenaSeal Vein Glue: a specialized bio-safe, permanent glue is applied to the inside of the vein using minimally invasive devices and techniques. The vein is then compressed by pressing on the leg until the glue hardens and seals the vein shut.

Vein Stripping Surgery: vein stripping surgery is done by making incisions at the two ends of the vein and then threading a wire device (the “vein stripper”) through the vein from one incision to the other. The surgeon then pulls the wire out, bringing the vein out with it.