Patient information

Find out what to expect when you come to hospital for your appointment.

Before your appointment 

You will usually be seen around six weeks after being referred to our varicose vein surgery service. If you have a new venous ulcer we aim to see you within two weeks of referral. 

You are welcome to bring a relative, close friend or carer with you to your appointment. You are also welcome to ask for a chaperone and we will endeavour to provide one for you. You should wear comfortable shoes and loose-fitting clothing that is easy to remove for your appointment. Please bring a list of any medications you currently take to your appointment.

When you arrive at your appointment you may need to have an ultrasound scan performed.

Please note that you may have to wait up to an hour to be seen. 

During your appointment

We aim to arrange your consultation and ultrasound scan on the same day to minimise the number of times you have to come to hospital, however at some hospital sites this may not be possible.

During the appointment a doctor will assess your symptoms and examine your legs and abdomen. A vascular scientist will perform an ultrasound scan of the veins in your legs. Your appointment will take around an hour: 45 minutes for the ultrasound scan and 15 minutes for your consultation, with a short wait in between.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside. 

After your appointment

We aim to discuss the results of the ultrasound scan with you on the same day as your appointment where possible. If treatment is necessary, we will write to you with the date of your surgery. We specialise in performing surgery using local anaesthetic, where you will remain awake for the operation. However, we can sometimes use general anaesthetic, where you will be put to sleep, when required.

When you come into hospital for surgery, expect to be here for around four hours. Please ensure someone is available to pick you up or arrange a taxi home.