title: Radiofrequency ablation and laser ablation in the treatment of varicose veins.
abstract: Chronic venous insufficiency is a major medical disease in the United States. With a total population of 300 million, it is estimated that 25 million persons in this country alone have symptoms of this disease (1 in 12). Great saphenous vein reflux is the most common form of venous insufficiency in symptomatic patients and is most frequently responsible for varicose veins of the lower extremity. Therefore, therapy directed toward correcting superficial venous pathology is beneficial to many patients.
authors.affiliation: Miami Vein Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33129, USA. jia@bellsouth.net
authors.forename: Jose I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Jeffrey K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Raines
mesh_terms: D016342:Angioplasty, Laser / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*