A disease in which the veins enlarge, dilate, and lose their elasticity is called varicose veins. The result of the disease is not only a noticeable cosmetic defect, but also the development of ulcers accompanied by severe pain. Laser treatment of varicose veins in the lower extremities is one of the most modern and painless methods to eliminate the disease.
Procedural transcript
Laser treatment of varicose veins is performed with an ultrasonic duplex scanner. In this case, the absorption of laser energy through the hemoglobin of erythrocytes occurs.
As a result, they are converted to thermal energy of up to 100 degrees within a few seconds. Blood plasma and its elements boil. This process is comparable to a kind of thermal burning of the walls of a vein that provokes the formation of a blood clot.
After a short time, the blood vessels dissolve and become almost invisible. If the disease is in advanced form, it will be necessary to repeat the operation. This can be done in 30 to 40 days at the earliest.
The popularity of this method is due to its benefits. The most significant are:
- Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. The patient only spends a few hours at the clinic.
- The procedure does not require general anesthesia. It is sufficient to anesthetize the site where the laser catheter is inserted into the vein. As a result, the rehabilitation period is significantly shorter.
- No drug therapy is required after surgery.
- Professionals monitor the progress of the operation with ultrasound monitoring using a color doppler. This guarantees the accuracy of the process.
- There are no postoperative stitches, punctures or other cosmetic defects on the patient's skin surface after surgery.
- The postoperative period does not require bed rest.
- The operation is performed with a single device for endovascular intervention. As a result, the risk of infections in the body is minimized.
The presence of these and other benefits confirms the effectiveness and efficiency of laser varicose vein removal.
Indications for laser surgery
Laser treatment of varicose veins is indicated in patients diagnosed with enlargement of the large and small saphenous veins. In this case, the extent of the extent of the venous opening does not exceed 1 cm, and the vessels are evenly spaced without the formation of numerous bends.
Using a laser will only be effective if the disease is in its early stages of development.
Who is not allowed to use this method
Laser removal of the veins in the legs is not recommended if the disease is in the second, third or fourth stage of development. This is because it is possible that the vein will enlarge again.
In addition, it should be noted that the laser acts on a small area of the vein, which allows you to avoid damaging the surrounding tissues. If a person has a large venous lesion, the application of laser therapy will not achieve the desired result.
If we talk about contraindications to the use of the laser, they can be divided into roughly 2 groups:
- Absolutely.This includes cases where the use of a laser is strictly prohibited:
- the patient has the potential to develop thrombophlebitis;
- chronic blood diseases are observed; The venous walls of
- have severe lesions.
In these cases, using a laser can cause huge blood clots.
- Relative.This group contains contraindications that delay an operation with a laser for a while:
- Presence of wounds or ulcers on the patient's skin. They must be healed first. Otherwise, the possibility of complications in the postoperative period is not ruled out;
- Pregnancy and lactation. At this time the female body was weakened and the load on the lower limbs was also great;
- is overweight.
If a patient has contraindications from the first group, experts recommend using another method to treat varicose veins. If there are relative contraindications, they should be eliminated before using laser therapy.
Preparation
One of the benefits of laser venous therapy is that the patient does not have to go through a long preparation period.
Pre-operation preparation consists of performing a standard test that includes the following manipulations:
- blood and urine analysis, in which the presence of sugar levels is determined, the degree of coagulation of the blood is determined, the biochemistry of the blood is performed, the Rh factor and the blood group are determined;
- HIV testing and the presence of sexually transmitted diseases;
- fluorography;
- Ultrasound allows professionals to pinpoint the location of dilation in the veins of the foot;
- If the patient is very excited, sedatives are given.
After completing these manipulations, you can continue the operation itself.
Which method to choose
In addition to endovascular laser coagulation, a number of effective methods can be used to treat varicose veins. The most popular are:
- Compression therapy.The essence of the method is the application of external compression of the veins, which leads to a reduction in their size. After surgery, the vein may grow. Most patients require compression therapy throughout their lives. Laser surgery of the veins in the leg eliminates this need.
- Phlebectomy.In this case, the vein is surgically removed from the general venous system. In this case, the diseased vein is completely removed, which minimizes the recurrence of the disease. The disadvantage of this method is the mandatory use of general anesthesia, which leads to an increase in the rehabilitation period to 3-4 weeks.
- Sclerotherapy.This is an invasive treatment that uses a special foam. The patient is injected with sclerosis, which causes the vessel to stick together. The possibility of postoperative consequences such as tissue scarring, skin necrosis, allergies, migraine and others is not ruled out.
- Radio frequency destruction of veins.They are conducted using radio waves. The catheter is inserted into a vein. Radio waves accumulate and accumulate on the walls of the veins. This method is contraindicated in patients with a pacemaker or defibrillator.
Of the above methods, varicose vein EVLO is the most gentle and effective. The final decision on the choice of treatment for varicose veins can only be made after a thorough general examination and the recommendation of a specialist phlebologist.
Perform the operation
Laser removal of varicose veins is a manipulation that takes up to 30 minutes. They are implemented in several stages:
- In accordance with a previously prepared map of the patient's veins, the practitioner will perform local anesthesia where the punctures are performed;
- A laser-equipped catheter is placed in the vessel cavity;
- The catheter gradually moves to the lumbar region and then retracts. In this case, energy is released, leading to closure of the vein.
To prevent damage to the mucous membranes of the eye, the patient must wear safety goggles first.
How long
One of the benefits of laser coagulation of blood vessels in the legs is that the operation itself does not require 30 minutes.
After this time, the patient can leave the clinic alone. The short duration of the method is due to the lack of general anesthesia and the surgical incisions in the skin surface of the patient's foot.
Postoperative Recovery
Laser therapy for varicose veins involves a short postoperative period. To ensure proper delivery, experts recommend that the patient follow the following rules:
- wearing compression garments;
- avoid a heavy load on the legs;
- walk in nature as much as possible;
- Perform an ultrasound 10 to 14 days after surgery. This gives the practitioner an idea of the condition of the human veins at the site of the procedure.
Within 2-3 months, the patient is fully recovered and ready for a normal life.
Results and possible consequences
If venous laser surgery is performed in a timely manner, the likelihood of recurrence of the disease is very low. After a few months, the patient returns to his normal and habitual lifestyle.
Negative consequences after surgery to remove varicose veins on the legs are very rare. As a general rule, this may be a slight pigmentation of the skin at the puncture site. It can be eliminated with medication.
Average cost of laser treatment
We can safely say that the only disadvantage of this method is the cost of laser treatment of leg varicose veins. This depends on factors such as the rate at which the disease develops, the equipment used for the surgery, the individual characteristics of the patient, and other factors.
Despite the high cost, this method is recognized worldwide as the most effective.