Disturbed blood flow in the veins of the legs is a very common condition in women, and several times less common in men.
When to see a doctor?
It is recommended to see a doctor if you experience heaviness in your legs, rapid fatigue, leg pain and numbness after sitting or standing for a long time, and swelling in the second half of the day . You should also consult a specialist if you feel that your legs feel like ants are running around, cramps at night, or if you can clearly see subcutaneous leg veins. You may also notice discolouration of the skin on your legs, sores or even ulcers on the lower leg.
Vein operations: what can they be?
Venous operations can be divided into two groups:
- Open surgery - an incision is made. These operations remove veins whose valves are no longer functioning properly.
- Endovascular techniques, such as laser surgery. These treatments are more popular than open surgery. Vascular ligation is a relatively new treatment method and is the most expensive of the endovascular category.
Open vein surgery, which seems to have been "king" until recently, is being pushed out of the popularity position quite rapidly by advanced endovascular treatment methods. It is sometimes mistakenly assumed that the latter methods are suitable as long as the disease is not very advanced, but nevertheless, these modern vein surgery techniques are suitable for the treatment of even very advanced varicose veins.
Comparing open and endovascular surgery, the latter has a much easier post-operative period, whereas open surgery has a more difficult and longer healing period.
Open venous surgery requires spinal or general anaesthesia. Under spinal anaesthesia, drugs are injected into the spinal canal, under general anaesthesia the patient is put to sleep. Anaesthesia also makes the post-operative period a little more difficult, as both general and spinal anaesthesia require the patient to stay in hospital for some time after the operation - the length of time this will take depends on the type of anaesthesia used and the doctor's recommendations.
In open surgery, incisions are made, scars remain and healing is much more painful. In turn, the pain makes it more difficult for the patient to walk, which is very important as it effectively protects against possible complications such as deep vein thrombosis.
The advantage of endovascular treatment methods is that only local anaesthesia is used during the operation, so that the patient can walk and go home immediately after the operation without having to spend any time in hospital. Of course, this facilitates the healing process. Another aspect is that venous thrombosis after endovascular surgery is extremely rare.
Endovascular treatment methods are particularly recommended for elderly patients, especially those suffering from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
Time after surgery
If venous surgery has been performed, the doctor will provide the patient with full guidance on how to keep safe during the post-operative period and what activities to avoid. First of all, no heavy lifting or physical work should be done for at least a week after the operation. Standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time is not recommended, nor are long journeys by bus, car (unless frequent stops are made for a walk), or airplane flights, as prolonged sitting in one position slows down the blood circulation, which can lead to a completely unwanted complication of the surgery - deep vein thrombosis. These tips must be followed by all patients, regardless of whether they have had open or endovascular surgery.
The best thing you can do to achieve an effective and rapid recovery is to walk as much as possible. This stimulates blood circulation and helps prevent deep vein thrombosis.
Your doctor is likely to recommend that you wear compression stockings for days. It is a good idea to choose quality socks and pay attention to the composition - ideally 70% nylon and 30% elastane. This will be an excellent choice after venous surgery, as these socks are very good at activating blood circulation in the legs, reducing leg swelling and fatigue.
