Do varicose veins recur after VenaSeal treatment?
Well, the short answer is yes, they can be. It is not necessary that they may not recur. The long answer is: they may or may not.
There are certain factors that influence recurrence. Some are technical factors depending on how the procedure was done, how large the veins were during the procedure, and the experience of the operator. But there are also patient-related factors.
Why Do Varicose Veins Recur?
Does the patient follow the advice given by the doctor? Do you still stand for 8 hours a day? If you had bunches of veins and sclerotherapy was done, were you advised to wear compression stockings, and are you wearing them or not? Have you increased your weight or remained on the higher BMI side despite advice to reduce it? These are the factors that affect recurrence.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis
What do we do about it? Having a recurrence or not needs to be diagnosed early. All patients having varicose vein procedures—whether it is stripping surgery, thermal ablation, or VenaSeal—need to have regular checkups.
If the veins are recurring or new veins are developing in the earlier period, we can simply do some sclerotherapy to get it better, or we can modify the risk factors. For example, if we see veins enlarging because a patient has put on 10–15 kilos, better weight management and compression might solve the problem.
Preventing Recurrent Ulcers
If a patient had an ulcer previously and new veins develop near that area, they might cause the ulcer to open back again. In such cases, we can perform a minor procedure to close those specific veins and prevent a recurrent venous ulcer.
Your Follow-up Schedule
The most important part is a good follow-up. We need to have ultrasound follow-ups at regular intervals. Typically, a follow-up schedule post-procedure would be:
- 7 days post-procedure
- 2 months post-procedure
- 6 months post-procedure
- Once a year thereafter
This ensures no new veins are developing, and if intervention is required, it can be done early.
Ask for a Written Plan
If there are no follow-ups, you might only realize there is a recurrence after 2 or 3 years, when it might require repeating the entire procedure.
When you are getting operated on for varicose veins, please ask for the follow-up schedule. Ask: “Are you going to do an ultrasound after the procedure?” and “Please give me a written down schedule.” That will help you prevent recurrence.
Thank you.
