Stripping

Classic surgical procedure to remove varicose veins affecting the trunk veins. In some countries, this treatment is still the gold standard for trunk varicose veins, but in many others it has been superseded by endovenous therapy.

According to the guidelines of the German Society of Phlebology, foam sclerotherapy is a good alternative to surgery, laser, and radiofrequency ablation therapy.
Stripping is usually combined with cutting off other veins in the groin (known technically as crossectomy or high saphenofemoral ligation).
You may need to stay up to 3 days in hospital after the operation and be off work for 1-2 weeks.

The operation for trunk varicose veins is usually performed under a general anaesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision (several centimetres long) in the groin, identifies the point where the trunk vein empties into the deep vein system, then ties off and cuts off the vein. A metal wire is pushed down through the trunk vein to the end of the diseased area, and then brought out through the skin via another incision in the thigh or lower leg. The lower end of the diseased vein is fixed to the wire and then the wire is pulled out, bringing the varicose vein with it. During this procedure, any smaller veins emptying into the trunk vein are ripped off. The wound is closed with sutures.
If varicose disease recurs in the same place and further surgery is necessary, the second operation is technically more difficult and associated with more complications.