Previously, if conservative treatment for varicose veins did not produce the desired results, or if the complications posed a serious threat to the patient’s health, doctors prescribed surgery. In this case, the affected vein was completely removed and scars remained on the skin after surgery. Modern medicine in some cases allows an outdated surgery to be replaced with more advanced laser therapy.
The essence of the collision is to direct a laser beam of a certain wavelength into the dilated vein. The blood cells convert the incoming impulse into heat energy, causing the affected vein to close and the blood to circulate deeper.
However, all adjacent tissues remain intact because the laser beam operates selectively and the area of the body where the manipulation was performed does not subsequently cause discomfort due to the damaged vein.
Laser surgery for varicose veins is divided into two types, which are used in different situations. Percutaneous laser correction is used in most cases to treat the venous network, which can be called the early stage of varicose veins. The procedure is performed without direct contact with the skin and the result is no different from the other type of procedure, but in this case the diameter of the vein should not exceed 3 mm.
Endovascular laser coagulation (EVLK) is more commonly used, and in Europe it has become the preferred therapeutic method, and surgical treatment of varicose veins is gradually being relegated to the background. EVLK involves a microscopic skin incision through which a light guide is inserted into the injured vein. With this function, you are free to "glue" any dilated vein with a diameter of no more than 1 cm. The whole process is under the guidance of ultrasound diagnostics, so the risk of medical error is minimal.
Negative opinions about laser coagulation of veins are most often left out by people who have trusted an inexperienced doctor or ignored the advice of a specialist.
Indications and contraindications
All procedures have indications and contraindications that should be reported to your doctor. When treating varicose veins in the legs with laser coagulation, the preconditions for the procedure should be carefully checked by a specialist.
First, the vein at the mouth should be dilated by no more than 10 mm, otherwise the therapy will be useless and the problem will return soon.
Second, the vein must pass smoothly through the torso so that the light guide can pass freely through it from the beginning to the end.
Third, don’t have too many varicose veins.
Before starting laser treatment, the existing contraindications to the procedure should be taken into account:
- predisposition to thrombophlebitis;
- any chronic disease in the acute stage;
- circulatory pathology;
- varicose veins greater than 1 cm;
- inflammatory processes in the affected area;
- infectious diseases accompanied by fever;
- low patient mobility for health reasons.
Ignoring existing contraindications can have negative consequences that will be much more difficult to eliminate. For the procedure to be successful, you only need to turn to a specialized health care facility that employs experienced and responsible professionals.
How the procedure works
At a prior medical consultation, the patient answers all the necessary questions and undergoes an examination so that the practitioner can decide if, in this case, laser treatment of the varicose veins helps or is necessary at all. Investigations are then prescribed and, if no contraindications are found, the date of the meeting is announced.
There is no special preparation for laser coagulation, but the patient must follow certain medical recommendations:
- wear loose and comfortable clothing and shoes, especially in the last days before the scheduled date;
- you should stop taking medications that affect the viscosity of your blood a few days before the procedure.
In the first stage, the phlebologist, together with the ultrasound diagnostician, marks and marks the location of the entire part of the vein affected by the varicose vein in the affected area of the patient's body. The length of this step can vary: if the vein is straight and short, the process only takes a few minutes, and if it is often twisted and involved in a long stretch, the marking may take longer.
The second stage is the use of local anesthesia, which is most commonly used as Novocaine if the patient is not allergic to it. The doctor will carefully cut the affected vein under the guidance of an ultrasound machine without damaging it. This section is very important because it not only anesthetizes the procedure but also prevents the laser beam from touching nearby tissues.
Laser removal of varicose veins begins with the phlebologist selecting the appropriate radiation route for the patient. A small incision is then made, through which a light guide is inserted into the vein if endovascular coagulation is performed, or the laser acts superficially if the percutaneous method is chosen. The phlebologist uses an ultrasound machine to control the process and move the source of the laser beam along the entire length of the dilated vein.
You should wear compression underwear for two weeks after laser treatment of the veins in your lower extremities, and not only during the day but also at night for the first few days after the procedure. In addition, you should take walks of at least 30 minutes immediately after exposure and for two weeks.
Consequences of therapy
In most cases, varicose veins in the legs and other parts of the body are suitable for laser coagulation without side effects and relapses. At first, the patient may feel discomfort, pain, or other discomfort in the affected area, and bruises may appear, but this will gradually disappear. Otherwise, you will need the help of a doctor.
If the course of varicose vein laser treatment on the legs and other parts of the body is interrupted or the patient ignores the advice of a specialist, more serious complications may occur. The most harmless of these is the penetration of the infection into an open wound that is treated with antibiotics. A more serious complication is the formation of a superficial or deep vein thrombus that can only be treated surgically.