In recent years, both medical and cosmetic varicose vein surgeries have grown in popularity. While these procedures are safe and beneficial to people, varicose vein surgeries have risk factors attached to them. As your venous and lymphatic systems are intricately interconnected, studies have shown that this interaction between these two systems may actually be codependent when it comes to their outflow. Varicose vein surgeries are said to have a significant effect on the lymph vessels and lymphatic function, both good and bad.
So how is the lymphatic system affected by varicose vein surgery? Assuming the surgery is a success barring any complications, vein surgery should actually help improve lymphatic function in your body. However, like any surgery, there are risks involved and post-surgery complications that could take place.
Read More: A Complete Guide to Your Non Surgical Varicose Vein Treatment
Benefits of Vein Surgery To Your Lymphatic Function and System
There are many benefits to varicose vein surgery in itself. After you have recovered from your procedure, you’ll see that the surgery helped improve blood circulation and boosted vein health, as well as remove spider veins from the skin surface.
While all of this is enough reason to get vein surgery, it can also have great benefits to your lymphatic function and system. With the two systems closely intertwined, treatments that have been shown to improve the venous system will most likely pose benefits to the lymphatic system and vice versa.
1) Improve Flow of Lymphatic Fluid
Whether you’re getting the surgery for cosmetic purposes or a health condition, it’s likely to help improve your body’s blood flow and circulation. With the two systems so closely intertwined, any issue or complication experienced by one will most likely affect the other system and vice versa.
An example of this is lymphatic stasis, a disorder wherein veins connected to the lymphatic system are inflamed, causing an array of complications. These complications include vein malformations, poor lymph drainage, and rapid cell death within the lymphatic system.
After vein surgery, you should experience proper blood flow and better blood supply as a result of the insufficient veins being treated. Similar to the effect of vein surgery on your venous system, with the general improvement of fluid circulation within your body, your lymph drainage should be improved and help alleviate lymphatic stasis and other lymphatic tissues.
2) Reduce Swelling of the Venous and Lymphatic System
When it comes to vein insufficiencies including varicose veins, the issue mainly stems from enlarged veins and blood pools being formed in a blood vessel. This does cause poor blood flow and pooling of blood in certain areas leading to visible varicose veins.
Due to the close relation of the venous and lymphatic system, it has been observed that any venous insufficiency like experiencing inflammation and swelling by the blood vessel is likely to cause your lymphatic system to swell as well.
During vein surgery, your inflamed varicose veins are forced to close down. While you may experience some swelling immediately after, it will resolve within days.
This surgical treatment prevents the flow of blood and eliminates the possibility of them swelling or forming a blood clot in the future. While the surgery does target varicose veins only, it can still help reduce the swelling of your lymphatic system, which inadvertently treats your primary lymphedema in the process.
Risks of Invasive Procedures and Vein Surgery To The Lymphatic System
With the close interactions and co-dependency of the venous and lymphatic systems, it’s safe to say that when one system improves, so does the other. While there are great benefits to vein surgery to the lymphatic system, you should be aware of the possible complications that may occur after surgery.
When you’re trying to target a venous disease or varicose veins during vein surgery, it’s possible for you to develop secondary lymphedema especially if done incorrectly.
Secondary lymphedema refers to a medical condition wherein the lymph fluid within your lymphatic system can’t flow properly due to blockages and damage brought on by vein surgery. During vein surgery, injections, lasers, and other tools used to remove your varicose veins can accidentally cause injury to the nearby soft tissues and interconnected lymphatic vessels if mishandled or done incorrectly.
Thankfully, lymphatic complications are preventable if you choose the right practitioners to perform your vein surgery on you. It’s also comforting to know that vein surgery complications like secondary lymphedema rarely occur with only 2.2% of patients. It’s really important to have a trusted professional address your vein concerns so you don’t have to worry about possible adverse effects.
Learn More: Varicose Veins and Diabetes: How Are They Related?
Why Risk It? Get Safe and Professional Surgical Treatment for Your Varicose Veins at The Vein Center Doctor
While you might want vein surgery for medical or cosmetic reasons, there’s no need for you to worry about post-surgery risks if your provider does it right. While vein surgery mainly targets varicose veins, the heavily intertwined nature of your body allows for vein-related procedures to go wrong at the hands of untrained professionals.
Here at Vein Clinic Doctor, we offer top-of-the-line treatment options to all of our patients. With our team of highly-trained vein experts, you’re sure to receive the results you want without getting unnecessary complications during post-treatment care. It’s time to get your clear and vein-free skin back safely and effectively. If you have any vein concerns, contact us and book an appointment today.
