ORIGINAL ARTICLES  VASCULAR SECTION 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2013 April;54(2):263-7

Copyright © 2013 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Endovenous 1470 nm laser treatment of the saphenous vein: early report of pain assessment

Can Caliskan K., Cakmakci E., Celebi I., Basak M. ✉

Department of Radiology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Aim: The aim of the paper was to evaluate the rate of postoperative pain by using endovenous laser ablation with wave-length of 1470 nm for incompetent saphenous veins in our single center experience.
Methods: A non-randomized prospective trial was performed. Patients with symptomatic varicose small saphenous vein and great saphenous vein were considered suitable for endovenous laser ablation. The VenaCure EVLT™ (Angiodynamics, Queensbury, NY) generator was used to provide laser energy (1470 nm emission wavelength). Pain was assessed on the 7th days, 1st months, 3rd months, and 6th months using a visual analog scale rating of 0 cm (no pain) to 10 cm (worst imaginable pain).
Results: Of the 30 patients who eventually underwent endovenous laser ablation, 14 underwent bilateral treatment. Totally, 44 treated legs were scored. When questioned by using a visual analog scale pain score of 0-10, patients, on average, graded their pain 3.86±1.04 at admission, 2.83±0.91 at 1 week, 1.46±0.63 at 1 month, 0.63±0.49 at 3 months, and 0.07±0.25 at 6 months. No major complication occurred, and there was no deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism nor skin ulceration.
Conclusion: Endovenous laser ablation for chronic venous insufficiency with a 1470-nm diode laser appears to be effective and safe. The procedure is simple to perform, well accepted by patients and relatively atraumatic.