title: [Comparison of immediate therapeutic effects of endovenous laser treatment and conventional therapy for lower extremity varicose veins].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the immediate therapeutic effects of endovenous laser treatment (ELT) and conventional surgery for lower extremity varicosity (LEV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two limbs of 20 patients with ELT and 36 limbs of 30 patients with traditional surgery were analyzed in terms of operation time, number of the incision, postoperative pain, complications, postoperative hospital stay and one-year recurrence rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ELT group had shorter operation time, fewer incisions, less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stay than conventional surgery group, but the two groups showed no significant difference in complications and one-year recurrence rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a safe and effective new treatment of LEV with minimal invasiveness and leaving no scars ELT has the potential to replace conventional surgery and extends the surgical indications for LEV treatment.
authors: Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Guangzhou 510010, China. wlpok@tom.com
authors: Liang-ping
authors: LP
authors: Wu
authors: Zong-hai
authors: ZH
authors: Huang
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Hong-feng
authors: HF
authors: Zhou
authors: Yu-xin
authors: YX
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D035002:Lower Extremity; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*