First Steps: Finding out about your veins

To choose which method may be most suitable for you, you need to see a specialist in Venous Surgery. At your appointment your surgeon will arrange for you to have a venous duplex scan of your leg. This scan will give your surgeon a 'map' of your veins and they will be able to tell you which treatment is appropriate for you.

Do you prefer a general or local anaesthetic?

If you do NOT want to have a general anaesthetic ( lose consciousness) then your veins can be treated under local anaesthetic.

Local Anaesthetic 

- less expensive, quicker recovery, no admission to hospital

- can be uncomfortable, may require more than one treatment.

The options are EVLA, RFA or Varicofoam. You may also be able to have some avulsions (sometimes called phlebectomies) done under local anaesthesia.

Cost of Local Anaesthetic

A procedure under local anaesthetic may be less expensive than a general anaesthetic procedure as you do not have to pay for the hospital charges. One of the disadvantages is that all the veins may not be removed by one treatment. This would mean you have to return for another session of treatment. Most treatments under General Anaesthesia remove all the veins in one treatment.

Which Local Anaesthetic Procedure?

EVLA and RFA produce similar results. EVLA can cause more bruising in the thigh and calf but RFA is more expensive.

Varicofoam is the least expensive technique but can leave you with discolouration of the skin for several months.

General Anaesthetic

- For most people, all the varicose veins can be treated in one session

- You are not aware of the surgery

- There is no pain during the operation

- If you have varicose veins in both legs they can all be treated.

- The treatment is more expensive than local anaesthetic procedures

- It takes a short time to recover from the anaesthetic

Traditional surgery, RFA and EVLA can be done under a general or regional anaesthetic (epidural). EVLA can cause more bruising in the thigh or calf but RFA may be more expensive. Traditional surgery is less expensive than RFA and EVLA under general anaesthesia but the stripping technique can cause more pain than RFA or EVLA. This may mean it takes longer for you to return to normal activities.

Surgery under a general anaesthetic normally gets rid of all the varicose veins in one session but requires admission to hospital. It may take you a short while to recover from the effects of the anaesthetic. Most operations can be done as a daycase. Sometimes you may need to stay in hospital for one night but should be going home within 24 hours of the operation.