UVM Medical Center Main Campus

Vascular Surgery

 (802) 847-3581

111 Colchester Avenue
Main Campus, Main Pavilion, Level 5
Burlington, VT 05401-1473

Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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What To Do and What To Expect After Varicose Vein Surgery

It is essential on the day of varicose vein surgery, to maintain a moderate level of leg muscle activity by walking for a minimum of 2-3 minutes every half an hour.

  • Maintain until bedtime.
  • Resume normal activity the following morning.

Heavy activities that involve sweating should not be resumed until 48-72 hours post-surgery. Examples of these types of activities: aerobics, hiking, gardening, farming.

Leave all dressing intact for two days following surgery.

Keep your incision dry. Showering should be done with a plastic bag over your dressing to protect your leg from getting wet.

Steri-strips should stay on until they start to peel off. Band-aids may be changed if they become stained.

Tenderness and bruising along the incisions is normal.

Call Your Doctor If You Experience Any Of The Following Symptoms

  • Signs of infection: fever, redness, or warmth along the treated segment
  • Moderate or severe pain that prevents return to normal activity
  • Shortness of breath
  • Persistent swelling of the treated limb
  • Continued bleeding 48-hours postoperatively