What is varicose vein surgery?1
Varicose veins are swollen or twisted blood vessels which are usually blue or dark purple in appearance and most frequently appear on your legs.
Varicose vein surgery can remove these veins – especially if they become problematic.
Varicose veins can cause a range of health problems, including blood clots, skin breakdown, and ulcers. In rarer cases, deep vein thrombosis can develop and spread to the lungs if blood clots get into the deeper veins in the leg.
There are two key surgical techniques to treat varicose veins (ligation and stripping, and phlebectomy2). They both involve using a series of small cuts to access and remove the veins.
Varicose vein surgery is usually performed by a vascular surgeon.