Venous cryotherapy

Venous cryotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that removes varicose veins through controlled freezing and thawing processes, usually with liquid nitrogen, at about −85 °C. It is similar in purpose to the surgical removal of varicose veins, but with far fewer complication risks: a single small incision, local anaesthesia, no hospitalisation, and cosmetic scars of only 2–3 mm.

Cryotherapy treatments are revolutionising today’s surgical interventions — from freezing fat cells and treating facial wrinkles to eliminating varicose veins, the principle of controlled cold has established itself precisely through its gentleness towards the surrounding tissues.

Venous cryotherapy at a glance

• Type of procedure: mechanical vein removal through controlled freezing — the most advanced form of mechanical extirpation of varicose veins
• Agent: liquid nitrogen; tissue temperature drops to about −85 °C
• Anaesthesia: local
• Incisions: a single small incision; cosmetic scars of 2–3 mm
• Hospitalisation: not needed
• Indications: total or partial removal of varicose veins; varicose ulcers

What is venous cryotherapy?

Venous cryotherapy removes unwanted tissue from the body through controlled freezing and thawing processes. In the case of varicose veins, the affected vein is cooled rapidly with liquid nitrogen — which lowers the tissue temperature to about −85 °C — and then removed. The procedure produces a very rapid reduction of vein inflammation, followed by their resorption into the body.

In purpose, cryotherapy is similar to the classic surgical removal of varicose veins — the vein is actually taken out of the leg. The essential difference: everything happens through a single small incision, without the additional incisions that classic surgery requires, so with much less local trauma and a significantly lower risk of complications.

Who is venous cryotherapy recommended for?

• patients with an indication for the total or partial removal of varicose veins who want a minimally invasive procedure
• those looking for an alternative to classic surgical stripping, with an easier recovery
• cases with varicose ulcers, where removing the diseased veins supports healing

The exact indication is established at the vascular surgery consultation, after the ultrasound evaluation. For cases where closing the vein is more suitable than removing it, see the steam method or foam sclerotherapy.

How does the procedure work, step by step?

1. Local anaesthesia — the treatment area is numbed; you stay awake during the intervention.
2. The single incision — one small incision is made, through which fine instruments (special needles and substances) are introduced under the affected veins.
3. Controlled freezing — liquid nitrogen lowers the temperature of the venous tissue to about −85 °C; vein inflammation drops very quickly, and the frozen vein can be removed with maximum precision.
4. Vein removal — the varicose vein is extracted through the same single incision; no additional incisions are needed, which is the major advantage over classic surgery.
5. The end — the incision is dressed; you go home the same day, without hospitalisation.

What do you feel during the procedure?

Thanks to the local anaesthesia and the numbing effect of the cold itself, the discomfort felt during and after the intervention is minimal. Pain is extremely low, this being a minimally invasive intervention.

What are the advantages of venous cryotherapy?

• short healing time, with quick mobilisation
• minimal discomfort during and after the intervention
• maximum precision in removing the varicose veins
• good skin tolerance; no major incisions — a much better aesthetic effect than classic surgical removal
• no bleeding and none of the post-operative complications that can appear with other vein-removal techniques
• minimal scarring risk — only 2–3 mm cosmetic marks remain
• liquid nitrogen is easy and safe to handle
• local anaesthesia, without the risks of general anaesthesia

What is the recovery like?

Hospitalisation is not needed — the veins are removed with extremely little damage to the targeted areas, and the result involves no visible scars, only 2–3 mm cosmetic marks. After the intervention, redness or swelling may appear in the treated area; these are normal reactions, and the doctor may recommend treatment to reduce the discomfort. They subside in the following days.

Patients often prefer cryotherapy over the traditional surgical stripping technique thanks to the lower complication rate and better cosmetic results. The recommendations regarding compression, walking and physical effort are established by the doctor at the end of the procedure, depending on the extent of the treatment.

Risks and limitations

Local reactions — redness, swelling, sensitivity — are normal and transient. Serious complications are rare; bleeding is practically absent, precisely thanks to the effect of cold on the small vessels. Being a removal method, cryotherapy still involves one (single, small) incision — for patients who want treatment entirely without incisions, the alternative is closing the vein through STEAM, laser or sclerotherapy, if the indication allows.

Cryotherapy compared with the other methods

• vs stripping — the same result (the vein is removed), but with a single small incision, minimal bleeding, rare complications and a superior cosmetic result
• vs STEAM/laser — these close the vein and leave it for the body to resorb; cryotherapy physically removes it — useful when removal is indicated (for example with varicose ulcers)
• vs sclerotherapy — sclerotherapy remains the first option for small veins; cryotherapy treats large veins, in a single session

Frequently asked questions

Does venous cryotherapy hurt?

No — the procedure is done with local anaesthesia, and the cold itself has a numbing effect. The discomfort during and after the intervention is minimal.

Will there be scars?

Only very small cosmetic scars of 2–3 mm remain, at the site of the single incision — hardly noticeable after healing. The risk of visible scarring is minimal compared with classic surgery.

How long does healing take?

Healing time is short: mobilisation is quick, the local redness and swelling disappear within days, and usual activities are resumed quickly, as recommended by the doctor.

Does cryotherapy also treat varicose ulcers?

Venous cryotherapy is also recommended in the presence of varicose ulcers: removing the diseased veins that maintain the ulcer supports its healing process.