Endovenous laser ablation of saphenous vein - mid-term results confirm permanent closure and possibility to treat more lesions in one procedure.

Abstract

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) is acommon alternative to surgical treatment of varicose veins. The aim of our study was to demonstrate that laser occlusion is durable, that we can treat all patients in aone day setting, even with veins >10mm in diameter, and that multiple EVLAs can be done at the same time. In the period from 1/2017 to 12/2019 EVLA was performed in atotal of 1551 consecutive patients with varicose veins and ultrasonographically documented venous reflux. The mid-term results were evaluatedin agroup of patients operated from 1/2017 to 6/2017 (316 pts.). We compared arisk group that consisted of patients with veins >10mm in diameter (40 pts.) with acontrol group (the remaining 276 pts.). Patients with veins >10mm are traditionally considered as candidates for conventional surgery. The catheter-based method enabled us to perform more ablations in one procedure. In 2019 we performed 1.44 EVLA procedures per patient. There was only one postoperative follow-up visit, indicating an uncomplicated postoperative course, in 87.5% of patients of the risk group. In the control group 100% of patients had only one follow-up visit including ultrasound examination, showing an uncomplicated postoperative course (p.