Radiofrequency Ablation for Varicose Veins (one leg)

Radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins is a minimally invasive technique capable of cauterising and shrinking the varicose veins in the affected leg without the need to remove them, through the use of thermal energy.

Radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins requires advanced technology and is performed under ultrasound guidance.

During the procedure, a puncture or small incision is made at the precise point of the affected vein, through which a guiding catheter is introduced, with a small electrode connected to the radiofrequency console. Through thermal effect, the vein is cauterised and sealed.

Varicose veins are dilated veins where blood accumulates due to a malfunction of the venous valves, which normally help return blood flow to the heart. This condition is known as chronic venous insufficiency and can occur in different areas of the body, although it most commonly affects the legs, where it may become visible.

Varicose veins in the legs are the most common vascular issue in the western population, affecting around 20–25% of women and 10–15% of men.

Symptoms of varicose veins

Some of the possible symptoms of varicose veins, which you may already be familiar with:

• They become visible. They typically appear in the early stages of the disease, often behind the knee or on the inner thigh.
• Tiredness and heaviness. Especially noticeable when you spend long periods without movement.
• Pain from light contact. As the vein dilates, even minor bumps or friction can cause significant pain.
• Night cramps. It is common to experience cramps in the area affected by varicose veins during the night.
• Tingling when immobile. When seated for extended periods, tingling sensations in the affected area are common.
• Swelling in the ankles and feet. This occurs due to difficulty returning blood through the dilated veins. As the condition progresses, swelling may extend to the entire leg.
• Skin discolouration. Due to blood leaking from the affected veins, accumulation may lead to skin and fat tissue damage, resulting in hardening, pain, eczema, and inflammation.

Radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins involves eliminating venous reflux by sealing the saphenous trunks with a catheter that generates heat through radiofrequency.

It is recommended to treat varicose veins before the summer, to avoid high temperatures and their consequences, such as damaged veins dilating and becoming painful.

This treatment targets the venous trunks that cause varicose veins, but not the superficial varicosities, which must be treated simultaneously using other techniques such as sclerotherapy.

What is radiofrequency?

Radiofrequency is based on the application of controlled energy in the form of heat through a bipolar catheter. This produces the desired effects on the vein being treated:

• Endothelial dysfunction. Loss or deterioration of the tissue lining the inner surface of blood vessels.
• Denaturation and contraction of collagen. When the temperature rises, the three chains that make up collagen contract and become disorganised.
• Shortening and thickening of the vein wall.
• Reduction of the vessel lumen. The vein's diameter is sealed and contracted.

Ultimately, it causes the varicose vein to disappear through fibrotic occlusion. Radiofrequency has proven to be an effective treatment with high levels of patient satisfaction.

If you are interested in radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins to address the problems and discomfort caused by varicose veins and their bothersome symptoms, you can request a free consultation with our specialist in vascular surgery and angiology through Operarme. 

This will give you the opportunity to meet the specialist, have your condition assessed, and receive advice on the most suitable treatment for you.

If you would like more information before booking your appointment, you can contact the Operarme team via the contact form, by calling at +34 91 141 33 56, or by clicking on the Request Appointment button below.

Get your surgery date to eliminate your varicose veins

Request now a free consultation with our specialists in Vascular Surgery.

Make an appointment

Once your consultation has been requested, one of our patient service advisors will get in touch with you to answer any questions you may have and to confirm that the date and time of the consultation suit your needs.

Consultation with the vascular specialist

On the day of your appointment, please bring the documentation specified in the emails we send when you book—basically your consultation voucher. Don’t worry, though: you’ll receive a reminder the day before.

Once you arrive, you will confirm your identity as an Operarme patient and be introduced to the specialist. The medical interview will then begin, during which the doctor will:

• Ask about your lifestyle habits and any discomfort you’re experiencing.
• Review your Eco-doppler ultrasound results.
• Perform a physical examination.

After the consultation, if you and the doctor decide to proceed with surgery, we will start all the necessary arrangements for radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins.

Following the appointment, Operarme’s patient service team will guide you through each step leading up to the procedure and answer any further questions you may have.

On the day of the procedure, you should go to the hospital and present the necessary documentation at admissions. Afterwards, you will be taken to a waiting room where you will wait briefly before being shown to a pre-operative room, where you will be given surgical clothing.

Once dressed, you will be escorted to the operating theatre where you will meet the angiologist you saw during your consultation, along with a member of the nursing team who will assist during the procedure.

Radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins is performed under local anaesthetic and lasts approximately 60 minutes.

Once inside, the doctor will ask you to lie on the examination table in a specific position before proceeding to administer the anaesthetic, which in the case of radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins is local anaesthesia. 

The surgery then continues with the following steps:

1. Once the anaesthetic takes effect, the specialist will use an ultrasound scan to guide the insertion of a small catheter into the affected vein through a tiny puncture or incision (approximately 2 cm).
2. The catheter, which operates using radiofrequency energy, will then be activated, delivering controlled heat to the wall of the damaged vein, sealing it shut.
3. After sealing all the varicose veins, the catheter will be removed, and the small incisions covered, marking the end of the procedure.

Following the intervention, pain, swelling, bruising, and the sensation of heaviness in the legs disappear immediately, as the blood that was circulating through the treated vein is redirected to healthy veins, restoring normal circulatory function.

Are you thinking about finally getting rid of the varicose veins in your legs? If so, click on the image below to request a free surgical assessment consultation with our specialists in angiology and vascular surgery:

Get your surgery date to eliminate your varicose veins

Request now a free consultation with our specialists in Vascular Surgery.

Make an appointment

As you have seen, endovenous radiofrequency ablation is currently a technique that has proven to be safe and effective in eliminating varicose veins. It also offers other notable benefits, such as:

• Faster recovery time. It allows a quicker return to normal routine and does not cause bruising or pain.
• Technical superiority over previous treatments. Radiofrequency stands out compared to vein stripping techniques as well as endovenous laser treatment, the other most common minimally invasive option for varicose veins.

After radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins, most patients can resume their routine within 24–48 hours.

Advantages of radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins at Operarme

Finally, in addition to the benefits directly related to radiofrequency treatment for varicose vein removal, it is also important to highlight the advantages of undergoing surgery through Operarme, including:

• A free surgical assessment consultation with a vascular specialist.
• Fixed all-inclusive pricing, guaranteed; you know the final cost from the very beginning.
• Fully personalised care provided by our patient service department, guiding you and solving any questions you may have throughout the process, so you never feel lost and can focus solely on your recovery.
• Our vascular surgery specialists are experts in their field, with extensive experience and outstanding professionalism.
• We work with hospitals equipped with the most advanced medical technologies and conveniently located in your city.

The price for radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins is fixed and all-inclusive, meaning it covers everything necessary to carry out the surgery with the highest possible safety, guaranteed by the quality of the hospital and the experience of the vascular surgery specialist.

The price for radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins with Operarme is 2.690 € for one leg. This price includes:

• Operating theatre reservation and use.
• Postoperative visit.
• Medical fees.
• Anaesthetist fees.
• Nursing team fees.
• Surgical materials necessary for the procedure, including radiofrequency equipment.
• Anaesthesia and recovery room reservation.

If you are considering resolving your varicose vein problem safely and quickly under the recommendation of vascular surgery and angiology experts, you can request a free surgical assessment consultation by filling in our contact form, calling at +34 91 141 33 56, or clickingon the Request Appointment button below:

Get your surgery date to eliminate your varicose veins

Request now a free consultation with our specialists in Vascular Surgery.

Make an appointment