EVLT Laser Treatments for Varicose Veins

Endovenous Laser Therapy

With endovenous laser therapy, no surgery is required and the entire procedure can be performed in less than one hour in the office. During the procedure, you are awake and your leg is anesthetized. A thin laser fiber is inserted into the greater saphenous vein in your thigh. The Doctor then will deliver laser energy through the fiber and into the vein, causing the vein to close.

WHY IS THE LASER FIBER PLACED IN THE THIGH, WHEN THE VARICOSE VEINS ARE LOCATED BELOW THE KNEE?
Bulging varicose veins in the lower leg usually are caused by a faulty valve located higher in the leg that can’t be seen at the surface. The endovenous laser therapy treats the source of the problem, which then causes the varicose vein in the lower leg to shrink and disappear.

IS THE LOSS OF A VEIN A PROBLEM?
No. Because there are many veins in the leg, the blood that would have flowed through the closed vein simply flows through other healthy veins after the laser therapy.

IS ENDOVENOUS LASER TREATMENT PAINFUL?
Although individual responses vary, most people report little to no pain associated with endovenous laser therapy. Often the only sensation is felt during the delivery of anesthetic to the leg. After the procedure you may feel some tenderness, tingling, itching or tightness in the treated leg, which should disappear within a month.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER THE PROCEDURE?
After endovenous laser treatment, a gauze pad and tape will be placed over the puncture site and a compression stocking will be placed on your leg. You will be encouraged to immediately walk following the procedure and resume normal activities. However, during the two weeks following your procedure you should avoid swimming, vigorous gym workouts, hot baths or excessive sun.

How successful is endovenous laser therapy?
Clinical results have been published which document the success of endovenous laser treatment. Like any medical treatment, however, endovenous laser therapy has certain risks which your physician will explain to you as they apply to your individual case.

What should I expect after the procedure?
You should expect to see some bruising along the treatment site as the vein disappears, which is normal and should gradually go away within a month. You also may feel some tenderness, tingling, itching or tightness in your treated leg during the two weeks following the procedure. If you experience significant pain, or have bleeding of the treated leg, contact your physician promptly.

Advantages of EVLT endovenous laser therapy
• The procedure is minimally invasive and less traumatic than traditional surgery
• It involves only a tiny non-scarring incision
• Recovery time is short allowing return to normal activities usually within a day
• The treatment is in-office.

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