What is Vein Ablation?
Vein Ablation (or “endovenous ablation”) is a treatment to collapse abnormal or dilated veins in the legs, called varicose veins. Normal veins carry blood back to the heart. Abnormal veins cannot do this. Varicose veins stretch as the blood backs up and pools inside them. These abnormal veins can cause pain, leg swelling and skin ulcers. Vein ablation closes the abnormal superficial veins so the blood can return to the heart through healthy deep veins.
How is Vein Ablation done?
Vein ablation can be done either using energy to destroy the abnormal veins (laser or radiofrequency) or injecting material to destroy the veins. The skin around the abnormal vein is cleaned and numbed. The clinician threads a thin tube into the vein through a pinhole in the skin. The clinician may inject numbing medicine around the vein. They use the tube to deliver energy (laser or radiofrequency) or material (special glue or foam) to shut down the vein. After, the clinician puts a bandage over the pinhole in the skin.
Vein Ablation
1. After numbing the skin, the clinician threads a small tube into the vein.
2. The clinician guides a tube to the abnormal vein and collapses it using energy (shown) or special material.
3. After, the clinician places a bandage over the pinhole in the skin.
What are the risks?
Vein ablation is generally a safe procedure when performed by a specialist.
The treated vein can re-open in less than 1 in 10 people. The vein can often be retreated if this occurs.
Symptoms can recur or fail to improve long term in 2-3 in 10 people. These people may require treatment of additional abnormal veins.
The most common complication is temporary inflammation in the treated vein that causes pain and redness. This can happen in up to 1 in 5 people treated with glue to destroy the veins. If energy is used, this happens in 5 in 100 people. The pain and redness goes away on its own in 1-4 weeks.
Blood clots can form at the junction of the abnormal and normal veins in 4 in 100 people. Large blood clots form in less than 1 in 100 people. Your clinician will monitor for this and treat it if it occurs.
Other complications are very rare such as skin burns or nerve damage if energy is used.
What are the alternatives?
Your treatment options depend on your preferences, overall health and unique conditions.
Alternative 1 Compression stockings collapse the superficial veins to discourage blood from backing up in them. They are the first line of treatment.
Alternative 2 Vein stripping is surgery to remove the abnormal vein. Vein stripping is more invasive.