EVLA Aftercare Advice

Following your EVLA* procedure, you should take a 15 minute walk around before you leave the hospital. You are advised to wear your stockings for 2 weeks night and day. You should keep your stockings on for 3 days and nights and only remove your stockings for the first time 3 days after the procedure. Remove the stocking and bandages, and soak in the bath for 5-10 minutes to remove any paper stitches. However you should not stand up without the stockings on, so for this reason you should not take a shower in the first 2 weeks. You should wear the stockings day and night for the remainder of the 2 weeks, but can take them off during this time to take a bath. 

Take regular pain relief for at least 5 days after the procedure. You are advised to buy some Paracetamol and Ibuprofen before your operation so you have sufficient at home to take regularly. At home, you are encouraged to take regular exercise, including plenty of walking. We advise you to walk for a minimum of 20 minutes in the morning and the evening. It is important to remain as active as possible with several short walks during the day.

The two things to avoid are standing still and sitting for long periods, such as in the car, at the dining table or at your desk. When sitting you are advised to rest your legs on a foot stool. You may experience increased discomfort at about 4-5 days. This is caused by the inflammation of the vein and will be helped by the Ibuprofen. Any bruising will resolve over the next few weeks. In addition you can have some lumpiness under the scars and this will also resolve over time. It is safe for you to drive when you feel confident to do an emergency stop and this is normally within a few days after treatment. You may return to work the following day or within a few days depending on your occupation.

*EVLA may not always be a suitable treatment; however this would not be known until after your first consultation. Find out more about varicose vein treatment options here.