Preminary report: initial experience of endovascular laser therapy for varicose veins due to greater saphenous vein incompetence in Thailand.
BACKGROUND
Surgical venous stripping (SVS) is a standard treatment for varicose veins (VV) due to greater saphenous vein incompetence (GSVI) but there are some disadvantages to and risks. Endovascular laser (EVL) has been introduced to overcome these disadvantages. The present study was designed to determine the effectiveness of EVL treatment for these patients.


METHODS
The patients with VV due to GSVI diagnosed by duplex scan were recruited in the present study. The EVL-procedure was percutaneously approached guiding by ultrasound under monitor anesthetic care (MAC). Postoperative clinical and imaging assessment was assessed.


RESULTS
There were 17 limbs with symptomatic VVs in 11 patients. Two patients were admitted for a reason not related to surgery. The others were day cases. There was no postoperative complication except a large echymosis in one case. At 3-month follow-up, no recanalization or recurrence was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors' early results demonstrated that EVL could obliterate VVs due to GSVI and further showed some benefits over SVS. More studies with a longer period of follow-up are needed to further confirm the efficacy of EVL.
Leelaudomlipi
Surasak
S
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. Surasakleela@yahoo.com
Sriphojanart
Suthus
S
Lersithichai
Panuwat
P
Angkoolpakdeekul
Theerapol
T
Pootrakul
Piyanuch
P
Horsirimanont
Suthus
S
Lewrojshup
Sopha
S
Traihattasap
Sangiem
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*