title: Does endovenous laser ablation induce endothelial damage at the saphenofemoral junction?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the possible complications of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) is thrombus progression into the common femoral vein or popliteal vein with the potential risk of pulmonary embolism or stroke. We set out to investigate the effect of laser energy applied under standardized treatment conditions on biomarkers of platelet and endothelial activation and on the hemostatic system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with incompetence of the great saphenous vein were included in this prospective study. Blood samples of the iliofemoral and anticubital veins were collected before, during, and after EVLA. Plasma levels of soluble (s) P-selectin, soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2), and d-dimer were measured. (s) P-selectin and sTM were analyzed as surrogate markers of endothelial and platelet activation. F1+2 and d-dimer were monitored to quantify the degree of surgical trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas there was no immediate rise of (s) P-selectin and sTM plasma concentrations in iliofemoral or anticubital blood, plasma levels of F1+2 and d-dimer increased significantly after EVLA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulsed mode laser ablation with an 810-nm fiber does not induce measurable platelet and endothelium activation in the iliofemoral or systemic blood. Furthermore, the immediate surgical trauma associated with EVLA appears to be modest. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Elisabeth.Heere-Ress@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heere-Ress
authors.forename: Marge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veensalu
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wacheck
authors.forename: Stanislava
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tzaneva
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kittler
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapiotis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolzt
authors.forename: Kornelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Böhler
mesh_terms: D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D015539:Platelet Activation; D011516:Prothrombin; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000097:blood; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D019007:P-Selectin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D018180:Thrombomodulin; C036309:fibrin fragment D; C045879:prothrombin fragment 1.2; D011516:Prothrombin