Varicose vein treatment at Spire Leeds Hospital

Spire Leeds Hospital is a long-established private hospital and provides an extensive range of surgical and medical services for our patients in Leeds, Harrogate and York.

If varicose veins are causing you pain or complications, or you’d like them removed for cosmetic reasons, we have a choice of consultants who can provide a treatment that’s personalised to your needs.

We offer fast access to consultations and treatments, in a clean, comfortable environment.

Your consultant will assess the condition of your varicose veins, your general health and your intended outcome in order to recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.

Our consultants offer a variety of treatments for varicose veins, and treatment generally follows the established NICE guidelines.

Endothermal ablation

Most veins are treated by endothermal ablation, a local anaesthetic procedure that involves using an energy source (such as a laser) to seal up the vein that’s feeding the varicose veins and allowing the veins to shrink.

Hook phlebectomy

Sometimes the laser treatment is accompanied by hook phlebectomy, when the varicose veins are removed through very small incisions. This is usually done for larger veins.

Injection therapy

Some veins are suitable for injection therapy, when (under ultrasound control) a chemical foam is injected into the veins to encourage them to shrivel up.

Surgery

Some varicose veins are still best treated by surgery, and this is usually because they’re particularly large or run far up the leg towards the groin.

Your consultant will explain the potential benefits and complications of each procedure before you decide to go ahead.

Coming into hospital

Spire Leeds Hospital is situated just off the main A6120 ring road, approximately three miles from Leeds city centre. The hospital is accessible via public transport (bus) or we're 15 minutes by car from the city centre and the mainline railway station. There’s free parking available for you and your visitors.

Meeting your consultant

Your appointment will take place in one of our 17 consulting rooms. Your consultant will discuss:

• Your symptoms or reasons for wanting treatment
• Your general health and medical history
• Whether 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, day surgery 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 (usually if surgical treatment is being given) where you’ll be completely asleep.

After your procedure

You can usually go home after about one hour after local anaesthetic procedures and for general anaesthetic, it will be a few hours after your treatment. You’ll be able to relax in our ambulatory care ward or general ward 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
• WiFi
• Wardrobe

You can usually get back to your normal routine soon after endothermal treatment (laser), but if you've had surgical treatment, you'll need to take up to a fortnight off work. Your consultant may recommend compression stockings which can help improve blood flow while your body heals. You'll need someone to drive you home following your procedure. You may also be advised to refrain from driving after your procedure, and the length of time will depend on the kind of treatment you had for your veins (for example, most people can drive the day after laser treatment, but will need to wait a week or so following surgery).

A month after treatment, you’ll return to the hospital for a follow-up appointment with your consultant so they 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: