Abstract
Introduction: Varicose veins of the lower limb are common condition affecting majority of people worldwide and has great effect on quality of life. The definitive therapy being surgery with stripping of the veins which is associated with surgical complications, prolong recovery time and significant recurrence. Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) is a minimally invasive procedure which is widely used for the treatment of varicose veins with excellent results.Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of EVLT for the management of varicose veins.Methodology: This was a prospective study of 40 patients who underwent endovenous laser therapy at the affiliated hospital of Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities from October 2016 to September 2017. All patients with primary symptomatic varicose veins with sapheno-femoral incompetence or great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux were included in the study. The patient's information and data were recorded during the hospital stay in the proforma for EVLT with the informed consent. The variables used were mean operating time, intra-operative blood loss, duration of hospital stay, return to normal activity, complications and the recanalization. Following discharge, the patients were followed up to six months.Results: Forty patients with unilateral varicose veins were treated with EVLT. There were 24 female and 16 male with mean age of 52 yrs and the majority of patients having symptoms for more than five years. The mean operative time and intra-operative blood loss were 80 minutes and 52 ml respectively. The mean duration of hospital stay was 2.5 days with 90% patients returning to the normal activity in 10 days. Swelling and indurations were the most common complication in 10 patients followed by hypoesthesia in 8, ecchymosis in 7 and skin burn in 4 patients.Conclusion: EVLT seems to be safe and effective minimally invasive procedure with excellent clinical outcome in terms of lower postoperative pain, early return to normal activities and fewer complications. However large sample size with long follow up study should be conducted for evaluating long term benefits. BJHS 2018;3(2)6:437-442.
Highlights
Varicose veins are the tortuous, widened veins in the subcutaneous ssue of the leg
All pa ents with primary symptoma c varicose veins with sapheno-femoral incompetence or great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux were included in the study
Forty pa ents with unilateral varicose veins were treated with Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT)
Summary
Varicose veins are the tortuous, widened veins in the subcutaneous ssue of the leg. It is one of the most common benign vascular disease in the world which can affect up to 25 percent of women and 15 percent of men.[1] In majority of the pa ents it is due to saphenofemoral incompetence and great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux leading to increase in venous pressure resul ng in dilated, tortuous veins in the lower limbs which if le untreated can severely affect the quality of life.[2] The ul mate goal of treatment is to eliminate the source of reflux in order to control symptoms and progression of the disease. Studies have shown that EVLT has less recurrence rate due to reduced neovascularisa on.[4, 5] The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety, efficacy and surgical outcome of EVLT which can be considered as an alterna ve to the conven onal surgery for the management of varicose veins
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