FAQ

How long do I need to bed rest after minimally invasive varicose vein surgery?

After minimally invasive varicose vein surgery, there is no need to bed rest or hospitalization, you can move freely on the same day.

Who is more prone to varicose veins?

Varicose veins can be caused by many factors, including age, gender, family history, number of pregnancies, obesity, occupation, etc.

  • Age: Usually 40+
  • Gender: Female
  • Family history: If a family member suffered from varicose vein, other members are at relatively greater risk
  • Obesity
  • Pregnancy: About 40% of pregnant women have the chance to develop varicose veins, women experienced multiple pregnancies has higher risk relatively
  • ​Occupation: Occupations that require standing for long periods of time, such as cooks, barbers, nurses, shop floor salesperson, etc.
How to prevent and relieve the symptoms of varicose veins?

The best way to prevent is to do lower body exercise regularly such as running, so that the muscles of the feet can generate enough pressure during the exercise to promote blood circulation to the heart. If you need to stand for a long time at work, wearing the compression socks can prevent blood accumulation in the lower limbs with external pressure. Compression socks have unique design, and they must be grade 2 (20-30mhg pressure) or above to provide sufficient pressure to improve reflux.

 

Patients can also raise their feet to the heart position three times a day for half an hour each time. This action helps the blood flow of the lower limbs to the heart, improving the condition and preventing deterioration. In addition, you can step or walk, or twist your ankles and stretch your calves, which can create a certain amount of pressure and ease the condition and discomfort.

How to know the operation was successful?

In the early stage after the operation, there are still varicose blood vessels in the calf. Lie on the bed and raise the legs above the heart level to allow the blood to flow back to the heart, and then immediately drop the legs, the patient will see the sunken blood vessels which used to be bulged. This means the surgery is successful because the saphenous vein that was damaged by the valve has been destroyed.

How to compare the minimally invasive varicose vein surgery with the traditional open surgery?

In terms of recovery time and recurrence rate, the minimally invasive varicose vein surgery is lower than the traditional open surgery. Minimally invasive varicose vein is regarded as the “gold standard” for varicose vein surgery in foreign countries.

Are varicose veins just a matter of appearance?

Many patients mistakenly think that varicose veins are just like thick earthworm-like blood vessels, which only affect the appearance. In fact, severe varicose veins can cause leg ulcers, bleeding, and the possibility that lead to skin cancer eventually.