Ten days after my great saphenous vein ablation I noticed deep pain on my inner thigh and a red line along the vein. I saw my doctor on the 12th day and he was not worried. But now 16 days post-op, the pain is still not any better. Should I be concerned?
This sounds within the boundaries of normal. Keep following up with the doctor who performed the vein ablation and have him/her perform the post-procedural Doppler exam.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Some people may have mild discomfort/pain for a few months. Do you have any signs of infection, such as a mild fever? If that is the case, then you should alert your physician and be placed on antibiotics. Infection is rare, but signs and symptoms should always be noted and reported to the person performing the treatment. If your doctor is not an interventional radiologist, then find one and have him/her perform a follow-up ultrasound. Also, keep following up with ultrasound appointments you have with your treating physician as well.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
If you are concerned, you might wish to contact your treating physician and request a follow-up evaluation.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Some achiness post-procedure is normal with venous ablations. However, if you are having severe pain, inflammation and swelling after the two-week post-op period, it is, I think, advisable that you see your surgeon. You may have certain minor complications which need to be addressed.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The pain should start to get better. Assuming that the doc who did your laser procedure has already ruled out a blood clot, you probably have either trapped blood or a feeder (a branch off of your great saphenous vein that is trying to feed directly into a now closed vein). Feeders can cause the redness and pain that you are describing. Your doc should be able to go in with an ultrasound and eliminate the issue, allowing for the discomfort to resolve within 24 hrs. If your doc does not know how to do this, I would look elsewhere for a doc who does.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Follow up with your MD to be sure there is no infection.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You probably have a phlebitis in the treated vein. Although it is not dangerous, it can be painful. The vein still needs to heal and has some residual inflammation. Wear your stocking and talk to your doctor about taking NSAIDs to treat it. It will get better.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
It is not unusual to have some discomfort along the treatment area for some time after EVLA. This may relate to inflammatory changes that accompany healing, and usually improves within the first 2 wks after treatment. There may also be a sense of tightness and a palpable cord along the tract, again a normal part of the healing process. This may be noticeable for weeks to months after treatment. Redness, swelling, induration ("hardness" of the tissues), tenderness and warmth may be signs of acute superficial thrombophlebitis; that is, acute inflammation due to irritation of the vein wall. While this can be associated with the treatment, it is more often related either to chronic irritation from venous insufficiency, or to trapped blood ("intravascular coagulum") due to incomplete treatment of a segment of the treated vein. An unlikely but still real possibility is infection like cellulitis, although this is more often misdiagnosed and mistreated with antibiotics than correctly diagnosed. In any case, the diagnosis cannot be made through an electronic message board. Go back to the physician taking care of you and ask what the diagnosis is that he or she is working from and what the expected course and treatment should be.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
I would not be concerned. The larger the vein, the longer it takes to heal. Also, the closer the vein is to the surface, the more you can feel and see the line that follows the vein. If you could take Motrin/Aleve without allergies and stomach problems, I would recommend you take as directed and put a heating pad to your leg. I hope you feel better soon.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
This is a sign of inflammation and you might obtain relief by wearing a 6 inch ace wrap on the thigh during the daytime. Ask your vein doctor if the great saphenous had a branch close to the skin that was lasered. This accessory branch usually is the cause of a hard, tender cord for months after an ablation procedure.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The vein is inflamed. Take more Advil.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
These symptoms are very common after endovenous ablation. Usually they resolve in 2 weeks, but I have seen them last for 6 weeks. This occurs less often with the newer, higher wavelength lasers. Applying heat to the tender areas and taking anti-inflammatories should help.
Published on Jul 11, 2012