Varicose vein treatment at Spire Clare Park Hospital

At Spire Clare Park Hospital, we’re a leading provider of private hospital treatments for our patients in Surrey.

We can treat varicose veins if they’re causing pain or complications, or if you'd like to have them treated for aesthetic reasons.

You can get fast access to one of our expert consultants who’ll provide a treatment and recovery plan that’s tailored to you.

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
• Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (USGFS) – a special foam is injected into the affected vein which blocks it

We also offer hook phlebectomy or microphlebectomy where small incisions are made close to the vein and a hook-shaped instrument is used to remove the affected veins through the incisions.

Coming into hospital

Spire Clare Park Hospital is a 10 minute taxi ride from Farnham station. 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. You’ll be taken to an operating theatre.

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 a day case room 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
• Window
• Armchair
• Side table

After you leave hospital, you may need to take some time off work while you recover. However, most people can carry on with their normal routine without any problems. Your consultant will advise you on what’s best, including whether you should wear compression stockings and for how long.

We’ll arrange a follow-up appointment four to six weeks after your procedure to check that you're recovering as expected and assess how the treatment went.

Here’s a typical recovery timeline, although you should always follow your consultant’s advice and bear in mind that everybody is different: