Ligation and Division Saphenous Veins One of the surgical techniques used to treat large varicose veins is ligation and stripping. Through multiple small incisions in the skin of the upper thigh and along the femoral vein or its branches lower in the thigh, the physician isolates and separates the Saphenous vein at the point it joins the femoral vein or at several points farther down the leg. The physician affixes vessel clamps and ligates sections of the Saphenous vein along the leg as necessary. Once the ligations are completed, each skin incision is repaired with a layered closure. Another technique would include the physician making a skin incision in the upper thigh or upper leg exposing the long or short Saphenous vein. Additional skin incisions are made at the knee and the ankle and along the leg as necessary. A long wire is threaded through the length of the vein and brought out at the ankle. The vein is tied to the end of the wire and the wire is pulled out along with the vein. Pressure is held along the course of the vein to stop bleeding. Once the vein has been removed, the skin incisions are repaired with layered closures. The leg is wrapped with an elastic pressure dressing postoperatively.