The vast majority of patients undergoing endovenous ablation therapy do not suffer any significant complications. The leg can be sore for the first 1-2 weeks post-surgery and may be bruised, but this improves quickly. Possible complications of endovenous ablation therapy include; •Early complications: •Local oWound related (rare): Bleeding/oozing: Infection Fluid collection oInjury to surrounding structures Thermal injury can occur to surrounding nerves (saphenous and sural nerves) resulting in numbness in the ankle/calf. This is rare but if it does occur may not improve with time. oResidual varicose veins: Endovenous ablation therapy alone will successfully treat 80% of visible varicose veins by removing the underlying cause. Those visible varicose veins that remain at follow up can be treated with phlebectomies or foam sclerotherapy. Small spider veins may temporarily become more prominent after most endovenous ablation therapy oBlood clot in leg (deep vein thrombosis, DVT): You will receive a dose of heparin during your procedure to reduce the risk of peri-operative DVT. It is important that you follow post-discharge recommendations of regular mobilisation, compression stockings etc. to mitigate the risk of DVT during the first six weeks post-surgery. Damage to the deep venous system: This is extremely rare and our surgeons have not encountered this as a complication of their practice. •Systemic oSystemic complications are very rare from this type of surgery •Late complications •Recurrent varicose veins: If your surgeon reviews your leg 10 years post-surgery he/she will identify recurrent varicose veins. These most likely will not be to the same extent as before your surgery and may not be causing symptoms, but the brutal reality of varicose vein surgery is that they do recur over time. •Scarring oThere will be a subtle scar (1-2cm) evident in the leg at the site of catheter introduction. This will gradually fade with time but will not tan thereby becoming more prominent in the summer months.