Varicose veins are enlarged, usually blue, red or flesh-colored, veins that may look like twisted cords through the skin. Varicose veins appear most frequently on the thighs, backs of the calves or on the inside of the legs. They form when veins experience increased pressure as the blood returns to the heart, such as during pregnancy, in cases of obesity or when individuals spend long, stationary hours on their feet. Although surgery has historically been the most widely recommended treatment option, it does not come without risk or complications.
Bruising and Scarring
Following a vein stripping procedure, an individual may experience bruising over the area. However, a more significant complication, according to MedlinePlus, is the scars that can form over the surgical incision area. These scars may run up and down the leg and vary in severity, depending upon the number of incisions and the length of repair that was needed. Scarring can be minimal to severe, but usually forms on the surface of the skin, causing no functional changes to the leg.
Lumps and Infection
Occasionally, hard, tender lumps may appear under the area of the leg where the vein was removed, according to Dr. Damian Mosquera, vascular surgeon. These lumps can continue to be present for several weeks after surgery and usually do not represent a significant complication. However, when lumps are accompanied by excess swelling, redness and pain, there can be a wound or tissue infection that must be treated by the physician to prevent any further damage to the area and decrease the risk of sepsis, a generalized infection in the blood, which occurs when an infection travels into the bloodstream; sepsis can ultimately be fatal.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Although the surgeon is manipulating the veins of the leg and removing a portion, documentation of deep vein thrombosis after vein stripping is a more rare complication. According to researchers led by A.M. van Rij in their paper published in the "British Journal of Surgery" in December 2004, only 5.3 percent of 377 patients suffered from this complication and 90 percent of those people experienced a DVT that was confined to the calf veins. The clot never increased or moved and half had resolved without causing further damage to the vein.
Nerve Injury
During a vein stripping procedure, several incision sites are made and the vein is removed from the area. During this process, it is possible for nerve damage to occur, according to Dr. Damien Mosquera, vascular surgeon in New Zealand. This damage can result in numbness over the area and is caused by inadvertent manipulation of the nerve during removal of the vein.
