Veins that become swollen and filled with blood are called varicose veins. Varicose veins can be very painful and cause significant discomfort, in addition to being cosmetically undesirable (because varicose veins are swollen, ones near the skin's surface can be very visible). Unless the veins are blocked and causing massive swelling of the surrounding area (because blood isn't able to drain properly from the surrounding tissue), vein removal is generally not considered to be an emergency procedure. However, because vein removal is generally straightforward, it can be done if the veins are causing significant physical or cosmetic discomfort.
Anesthesia Allergies
Before the actual vein removal procedure can be done, the patient has to be properly prepared for the surgery. Typically this involves the use of anesthesia, which can cause allergic reactions. If only local anesthesia is used, the side effects tend to be a rash or hives. However, if general anesthesia is used,patients may have trouble breathing because allergic reactions can cause the airway to swell up and close. Though this latter side effect can be life threatening, it can often be counteracted by the anesthesiologist by administering medication to negate the allergic reaction.
Tissue Damage
One way of removing veins is called vein stripping, which can cause damage to the tissue around the removed vein as a side effect. In vein stripping, the injured vein is surgically removed from the leg. This procedure can lead to the area around the vein becoming bruised and scarred, which can cause a feeling of "tightness" in the leg. Because this procedure involves cutting into the leg, there's also a risk that one of the nerves in the leg will become damaged, which can lead to numbness and paralysis of part of the leg. Vein stripping can also lead to a bacterial infection at the surgical site, which can cause additional damage to the surrounding tissue as the bacteria infects and breaks down healthy tissue in the leg.
Increased Risk of Bloot Clots
There are other ways of removing veins in the legs. Two methods, called endovenous laser ablation and radio frequency ablation, both use intense heat to remove the vein. Side effects of this type of vein removal include an increased risk of developing blood clots (which can migrate to the lungs to cause a pulmonary embolism). The treated veins can also become irritated and inflamed, leading to pain and swelling in the legs. The treated area can begin to tingle or become burned from the heat.
Another way of removing veins involves injecting them with a chemical solution that causes them to harden and then disappear (called sclerotherapy). This can cause irritation of the vein and, if the solution leaks out of the vein, damage to surrounding tissue.
