title: Endovenous laser treatment to promote venous occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Current treatment methods of superficial venous insufficiency (SVI) can be painful or result in incomplete occlusion. The objective of this study was to evaluate a technique for laser endovenous ablation with a newly developed diffuser fiber.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six lateral saphenous veins in three goats were used. A specifically designed diffuser laser fiber tip was employed in all trials to deliver a wavelength of 1,064 nm. Each segment was treated with a different energy fluence by changing the power setting of the laser or the withdrawal rate of the fiber. Energy fluence was calculated by dividing the Joules employed for each segment over the internal surface area of the vessel. Segments were evaluated with ultrasound and histologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five percent of the segments were occluded when an energy fluence of greater than 85 J/cm2 was employed. No perforations were observed, but perivascular changes were more common at higher energy fluence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovenous laser occlusion of veins with minimal perivascular effects can be achieved with laser wavelengths of 1,064 nm if an energy fluence of 84.9-224 J/cm2 is employed and circumferential effect is achieved.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA. ejp@vet.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Melvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006041:Goats; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*