An ambulatory phlebectomy, also called a microphlebectomy or stab phlebectomy, is an outpatient procedure performed to remove spider and varicose veins through small, slit-like incisions in the skin. When varicose veins near the surface of the skin are too large to treat with sclerotherapy and too small to treat with laser ablation, microphlebectomy is the preferred treatment. Since veins are extremely collapsible, even the largest affected veins can often be removed through tiny incisions using the ambulatory phlebectomy procedure. This minimally invasive treatment does not require sutures or general anesthesia and can easily be performed in the doctor’s office with minimal downtime. Ambulatory phlebectomy involves less pain and fewer risks than traditional surgical treatment.
