Varicose vein treatment at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital

At Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, we provide comprehensive treatments in a comfortable and relaxed private hospital environment for our patients across Cambridgeshire and East Anglia.

We offer treatment for varicose veins if they’re causing pain or complications, or if you’d like them treated for cosmetic reasons.

You can expect fast access to a consultant of your choice, in our clean, modern facilities. Your consultant will recommend a treatment and recovery plan that’s personalised to your needs.

Your consultant will recommend a treatment based on the type of varicose veins you have, your general health and your desired outcome.

We have a range of treatments available. All have their own potential benefits and risks which your consultant will discuss with you.

The following procedures all use ultrasound imaging to guide your consultant when positioning the injection or catheter (a thin tube through which smaller instruments can be inserted):

• Radiofrequency ablation (eg Venefit®, also called VNUS closure) – a probe inside a catheter is inserted into the affected vein and uses radiofrequency energy to heat and seal the vein
• Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) – a tiny laser inside a catheter is inserted into the affected vein which emits bursts of energy to heat and seal the vein
• ClariVein® – a catheter is inserted into your vein and the end rotates and releases a chemical which seals the vein

Coming into hospital

We're 15 minutes from Cambridge train station, which has direct links into London's King's Cross and Liverpool Street stations. There’s free parking available for you and your visitors.

Meeting your consultant

Your appointment will take place in one of our consultation rooms. Your consultant will discuss:

• Your symptoms or reasons for wanting treatment
• Your general health and medical history
• If they recommend any additional tests or scans to help plan your treatment
• Your treatment and recovery plan
• What the treatment involves, along with potential benefits and risks
• The anaesthetic you’ll require

You may also need a pre-operative assessment before going ahead with treatment. This is to ensure you're fit and well enough for surgery.

On the day

Once you arrive for your treatment, you’ll meet your consultant again who’ll work with our nurses to get you ready for your procedure.

Depending on the treatment and anaesthetic you’re having, you’ll be taken to an operating theatre or a consulting room.

The time taken for each procedure ranges from half an hour to an hour or longer if you’re having more veins treated.

Anaesthetic

Most procedures can be performed under local anaesthetic, meaning you won’t be able to feel anything in the area being treated. Alternatively, you may have a general anaesthetic (eg usually for surgical ligation and stripping) where you’ll be completely asleep.

After your procedure

You can usually go home a few hours after your treatment. It may be longer for general anaesthetic and if you’ve had more veins and/or both legs treated. You’ll be able to relax in our outpatient department until you’re ready to leave.

Occasionally, you may need an overnight stay. If so, you’ll have one of our private, en-suite rooms. All of our rooms have:

• TV
• En-suite
• Chair
• Free WiFi

You can usually get back to your normal routine straight away after your treatment. However, if you’ve had ligation and stripping, or more veins treated, you may need to take a few days off work and rest. Your consultant may recommend compression stockings which can help improve blood flow while your body heals.

After your procedure, you’ll return to the hospital for a follow-up appointment so we can check that you’re recovering well and the treatment has worked.

Your recovery will be personal to you and you should always take your consultant’s advice. Here’s a typical recovery timeline as a guide: