Advanced varicose veins cannot always be successfully treated using conservative treatment methods. Therefore, varicose veins are removed through surgery. Surgical intervention for varicose veins of the lower extremities has its own characteristics, rehabilitation methods and contraindications.
In which situations is venous surgery performed?
The following situations require surgery, which is performed only in the hospital by experienced specialists. Surgical intervention in the lower extremities is mandatory in the following cases:
- If the disease has become extensive and advanced;
- If the saphenous veins have become very enlarged;
- If the movement of blood through the vessels is disrupted, which is why the legs constantly hurt, they quickly get tired and become overloaded with heaviness;
- If the skin is trophically affected;
- If there are unhealed trophic ulcers on the legs;
- If thrombophlebitis worsens.
How to prepare for surgery
The surgery for varicose veins is called phlebectomy. It is important to prepare well in advance. Treatment of varicose veins with surgical intervention begins with passing all the necessary tests and necessary studies of the body. On the day of surgery you will need:
- Take a morning shower;
- Shave your legs so that excess hair does not interfere with the doctor's work with varicose veins;
- Arrive at the hospital a little before your appointment to prepare for the upcoming procedure.
In cases where venous veins are removed using general anesthesia, the patient is given a cleansing enema in the evening.
If your doctor has prescribed you to treat varicose veins of the legs with surgery, it is important to inform him of the presence of allergic reactions to the drugs to avoid serious consequences. The surgery is performed using an anesthetic and iodine-containing agents. Therefore, if you are allergic to such drugs, you must inform your doctor.
If after surgery on the lower limbs the patient requires hospitalization for rehabilitation, the doctor must also inform him about the drugs he systematically takes.
Types of operations for varicose veins
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are treated in several ways. There are the following types of surgery:
- During phlebectomy only the veins affected by varicose veins are removed. Diseased veins are removed through small incisions in the legs;
- To remove the great saphenous vein along with its tributaries, stripping is performed. This operation for varicose veins is performed through an incision in the inguinal crease. The veins that have undergone surgery are tied and a tight bandage is applied to the leg;
- During sclerosis, diseased vessels are filled with a special substance that glues them together. In the place of diseased veins, scar tissue appears, which, with the help of special preparations, subsequently dissolves without a trace;
- The treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities is carried out using a laser beam that penetrates the venous veins through special punctures. With laser therapy the veins are welded together, dissolve and disappear after a while. Patient reviews indicate that such surgery is quite effective, thanks to which no relapses of the disease occur.
Leg surgery for varicose veins is not scary today. Any surgery is carried out through a small incision in the skin. 24 hours after surgery, the patient can be discharged home and after a few days he can return to work.
It is important that before undergoing leg surgery, the patient is aware of the possible consequences. Rehabilitation occurs in several ways. Treatment after surgery depends on how it was performed, in which area and with what type of anesthesia. Often after phlebectomy the legs hurt a lot and bruises also appear, which disappear after a while. During laser therapy, mild pain is felt in the lower limbs.
Rehabilitation after surgery
After surgery on the lower extremities, relapses very rarely occur. The further well-being of the patient depends only on him. To avoid bruising, bleeding and other complications, it is necessary to scrupulously follow all the doctor's recommendations.
When leaving surgery for varicose veins, it is important to take the following rehabilitation measures:
- Rest completely;
- Walk outside;
- Do physical exercise, taking into account the permissible loads, which are determined individually for each patient;
- Follow the diet;
- Tightly bandage the operated areas on the legs with elastic bandages;
- Wear special knitted compression underwear;
- Do not lift very heavy objects;
- Watch your weight.
After lower extremity surgery, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, do heavy physical labor, take a hot bath or drive a car for two days.
Pain in the lower extremities and increased body temperature may occur over the course of four days. To cope with such unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended to massage your feet. To quickly restore blood flow and increase the tone of the venous vessels, it is advisable to move a lot.
To prevent the formation of blood clots, postoperative treatment of varicose veins is carried out with antiplatelet agents. Your doctor may prescribe a course of acetylsalicylic acid. To thin the blood, the patient is given glycosaminoglycan injections.
Treatment or prevention of the inflammatory process is carried out with the help of antibiotics. To reduce pain in the lower extremities, painkillers are prescribed.
You need to be very careful when performing hygiene on the operated leg. Don't get the bandage wet before removing the stitches! The stitches are removed seven days after surgery, as soon as the wounds are completely healed.
Once removed, you need to shower carefully. You cannot forcibly tear off the scabs near the scars; they should fall off on their own. While bathing, gently wash your foot with a soft sponge and baby soap. Then they are dried with a soft towel, and the scar lines are smeared with alcohol or brilliant green. You should not steam scars in a sauna or hot bath for a month.
How to eat during rehabilitation
To strengthen blood vessels, it is recommended to drink a little dry red wine, beetroot or tomato juice, grape juice, eat cranberries, garlic and lemon.
For varicose veins we recommend:
- Drink apple cider vinegar twice a day. Two tablespoons should be diluted with half a glass of water;
- Among vegetables, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and herbs are considered useful. You can prepare salads from them, seasoning them with vegetable oil or lemon juice;
- As for fruit, it is useful to eat gooseberries, blackcurrants, oranges, strawberries, apples, lemons;
- To saturate the body with useful substances, prepare cereal porridges;
- To enrich your veins with vitamin E, add vegetable oil to your dishes: olive, pumpkin or sunflower;
- To saturate the venous system with elastin, it is important that seafood is present in the diet. It is recommended to eat seaweed every day. If income allows, prepare salads with mussels, crabs, shrimp, oysters and squid;
- To maintain vascular health, it is recommended to consume several walnut kernels per day.
Only proper and balanced nutrition will help you recover faster after vein removal surgery.
Possible complications and consequences after surgery
In general, surgery for varicose veins in the extremities is fine. If the surgical treatment is successful, the patient is discharged home after two days. But sometimes unexpected complications arise that you need to be informed about in advance.
Possible complications after extremity surgery:
- The formation of bruises that disappear on their own within a month. They very rarely remain on the skin for more than two months;
- Sometimes in places where a puncture or incision has been made, the skin begins to thicken. Within a month the seal resolves on its own;
- If the skin incision touches nerve endings, the patient may feel pain in this area. It also takes time for wounds to heal completely;
- If the legs are subjected to heavy loads after surgery, swelling may occur. Therefore, for the first few days after vein surgery, it is recommended to avoid heavy work.
To avoid the described consequences after surgery, it is necessary to carry out its prevention.
Preventive measures
Some people's wounds heal very quickly, while others suffer from the appearance of keloids. For this reason it is not only necessary to remove varicose veins, but it is necessary to take all preventive measures to avoid unwanted consequences.
After the operation, experts recommend moving around and not sitting in the same place or lying on the bed.
Prevention after surgery is as follows:
- First, slowly bend and straighten your knees. Make circular movements with your feet to increase the speed of venous blood flow;
- When you sleep, make sure your legs are slightly higher than your torso;
- After a couple of days, start actively sitting on the bed;
- Place an elastic bandage on the operated leg and start walking and performing light physiotherapy exercises. It is recommended to wear an elastic bandage for three months after surgery.
To prevent the disease from recurring, it is important to lead an active lifestyle, perform physical therapies, go to the swimming pool and follow a healthy and balanced diet.
To avoid the development of varicose veins and their removal, you need to do physical activity, run, walk a lot, swim and attend yoga classes.
If you stand a lot during the day, you need to take short breaks every two hours: walk on your heels and then on your toes. To avoid varicose veins during pregnancy, it is recommended to wear special compression stockings or tights.
Contraindications to surgery for varicose veins
It is not always possible to remove veins through surgery for varicose veins. Treatment of the disease by surgical intervention cannot be carried out in people suffering from hypertension (advanced stage of the disease), coronary heart disease, severe forms of infectious diseases, erysipelas and eczema.
The operation is also contraindicated during pregnancy (especially from 5 to 9 months) and at an advanced age.
It is important that the operation 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 doctors can you turn to the chosen specialist and trust him with your problem.
What to do if surgery is contraindicated for you
If for some reason it is not possible to undergo surgery, the treatment of varicose veins is carried out using conservative methods. The initial stages of the disease can be treated as follows:
- Thanks to compression garments it is possible to keep swollen blood vessels in tone. To choose the right compression you need to consult a doctor;
- You can make lotions for sore areas of the legs with yogurt and wormwood decoction. A compress based on hop infusion, alcoholic tincture of Kalanchoe leaves, cabbage with honey or raw potatoes will also be useful;
- The initial stage of varicose veins is treated with hirudotherapy. Leech saliva is used for treatment, which thins the blood and helps it circulate better in the veins. But after this type of therapy, sometimes small scars remain on the skin;
- To treat the disease, lotions, masks or baths with blue clay are also made;
- After consulting a doctor, varicose veins in the legs can be treated with special pharmaceutical ointments, creams, patches, gels or tablets.
The described conservative methods can be used only in the initial stages of the disease. If varicose veins have acquired a severe form of manifestation, surgical intervention cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor promptly to protect the health of your legs.
How do patients respond to surgery for varicose veins in the legs?
If you carefully study all the reviews about surgery for varicose veins, you can draw the following conclusion. If you have indications for surgery, you need not be afraid. Feel free to do and strictly follow all further instructions of the doctor. And very soon you will forget about varicose veins and all its unpleasant symptoms.
Now you know what types of surgery exist for varicose veins in the legs. How to prepare for surgery and what to do next to avoid unwanted complications and relapses.