Vein Stripping

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Risks

IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE HOSPITAL...

Before You Go

• The Week Before Surgery:
• You'll probably need to stop taking aspirin and ibuprofen; the doctor will tell you when. If you're taking aspirin for your heart, don't stop without asking the doctor first. Also ask whether you can take any over-the-counter medicines.
• Your doctor will tell you whether you need to have blood drawn.
• The Night Before Surgery:
• Your physician may suggest you take a sleeping pill.
• Just before surgery, you should not eat or drink anything (even water). Your doctor will tell you when to begin fasting.

When You Arrive

• Check with your doctor before taking insulin, diabetes pills, blood pressure medicine, heart pills, or any other medication on the day of surgery.
• Do not wear contact lenses to the hospital. You may wear glasses.

What to Expect While You're There

• Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
• Blood Tests: You may need blood taken for tests. It can be drawn from a vein in your hand or from the bend in your elbow. Several samples may be needed.
• Chest X-ray: The doctor will check this picture of your lungs and heart to make sure you're ready for surgery.
• Heart Monitor: (Also called an electrocardiogram [e-LEK-tro-KAR-di-o-gram] or EKG). Typically, three to five sticky pads are placed on different parts of your body. Each pad has a wire that is hooked to a TV-type screen or to a small portable box (telemetry unit) that shows a tracing of each heartbeat.
• IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to it.
• Pulse Oximeter: With a little clip connected to your ear, finger, or toe, this machine measures the oxygen in your blood.
• Pre-Op Care: The location of the veins is more evident while you are standing, so the doctor will identify them with marker before you lie down.
• Anesthesia: You'll need a pain-killer during the operation. For this type of surgery, the following options are available:
• Spinal Anesthesia: This type of anesthesia requires an injection in the spine. You will be awake during surgery but will be numb below the waist. Feeling will return in about 2 hours.
• Epidural Anesthesia: For this type, a tiny tube is positioned near the spine, allowing administration of additional medication during the operation. You will be awake during surgery but will be numb below the waist. Feeling will return to your legs when the anesthesia wears off.
• General Anesthesia: This alternative puts you completely to sleep throughout the operation. The anesthetic is given either as a liquid in your IV or as a gas through a face mask or endotracheal (END-o-TRA-kee-ull) tube placed in your mouth and throat.

After Surgery:

• Oxygen: At times during your stay, your body may need extra oxygen. It is given either through a plastic mask over your mouth and nose or through nasal prongs. If the oxygen dries out your nose or the nasal prongs bother you, tell your nurse, but don't take off the oxygen on your own.
• Deep Breathing and Coughing: These exercises help prevent a lung infection after surgery. Deep breathing opens the tubes going to your lungs. Coughing helps to bring up sputum from your lungs and keep them clear. You should deep breathe and cough every hour while you are awake, including any time you spend awake during the night.
• Take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can. Then push the air out of your lungs with a deep strong cough. Put any sputum that you have coughed up into a tissue. Take 10 deep breaths in a row every hour while awake. Remember to follow each deep breath with a cough.
• Incentive spirometer (spy-ROM-uh-tur): This piece of equipment helps you take deeper breaths. Put the plastic nozzle into your mouth, take a very deep breath, and hold it as long as possible. Then blow as hard as you can into the mouthpiece. Take 10 deep breaths in a row every hour while awake. Remember to follow each deep breath with a cough.
• Ice: For pain or swelling, you may put ice in a plastic bag, cover it with a towel, and place it over the incisions for 15 to 20 minutes out of every hour as long as necessary. Do not sleep on the ice pack. Treatment with ice is most effective when started right after the operation and used for 24 to 48 hours.
• Heat: After the first 24 to 48 hours you may use heat for pain or swelling. Apply a heating pad (turned on low) or a hot water bottle, or sit in a warm water bath for 15 to 20 minutes out of every hour as long as you need relief. Do not sleep on the heating pad or hot water bottle. Heat brings blood to the area of the operation and helps it heal faster.
• Pressure Stockings: These tight elastic stockings keep blood from collecting in the legs and causing clots.
• Activity: Your leg should be kept on a pillow to help reduce swelling. When your doctor give the OK, you can begin exercising your legs in order to keep blood clots from forming. Lift one leg off the bed and draw big circles with your toes, then repeat with the other leg. Stop as soon as you become tired. Don't let your legs dangle over the side of the bed. This will encourage pooling of blood in your lower legs, which can lead to the formation of clots.
• When you're told it's OK to get out of bed, make sure someone is with you the first time you try. If you feel weak or dizzy, sit or lie down right away. You should be able to get up to use the bathroom within 24 hours.
• Medicines:
• Antibiotics: These medicines help prevent bacterial infection. They may be given by IV, as a shot, or by mouth.
• Pain Medicine: To ease pain after the operation, your doctor will probably prescribe medication to be given by IV, as a shot, or by mouth. Tell the doctor or your nurses if the pain won't go away or keeps coming back.
• Anti-Nausea Medicine: This medicine calms your stomach and controls vomiting. Your doctor may suggest you take it at the same time as your pain medicine, which sometimes upsets the stomach.

After You Leave

• Always take your medicine exactly as directed. If it doesn't seem to help, let the doctor know, but keep taking it until told otherwise. If you've been prescribed antibiotics, be sure to use them up, even if you're feeling better. If a medicine makes you drowsy, avoid driving or using dangerous machinery.
• When you are allowed to bathe or shower, carefully wash the stitches with soap and water. Then put on a clean, new bandage. Change the bandage any time it gets wet or dirty.
• You'll need extra rest while you recuperate. Try to gradually increase your activity each day, resting whenever you feel it's needed. Avoid any heavy lifting until your doctor gives the OK.
• Wear thigh-high or knee-high elastic stockings for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery.
• It's normal to have numb areas in your leg after this operation. They should disappear in less than a year.
• It's not unusual for new varicose veins to develop. To prevent this:
• • Don't wear tight garters or girdles.
  • Don't sit or stand for a long time; rest frequently with your feet up.
  • Don't cross your legs at the knees.
  • If you are overweight, make an effort to shed the extra pounds.
  • Wear elastic stockings whenever possible. For maximum benefit, put them on in bed before arising.
  • Lift the foot of your bed 6 to 8 inches. This helps to prevent blood from collecting in your legs.

Call Your Doctor If...

• Your incisions are swollen and red, or you see any pus. These are signs of infection.
• Your stitches or staples come apart.
• Your bandage becomes soaked with blood.
• You develop a high temperature.
• Pain and swelling in the leg persists or gets worse.

Seek Care Immediately If...

• You develop chest pain or suddenly have trouble breathing.