Endo Venous Laser Therapy (EVLT) is a new method of treating varicose veins without surgery. While the discolored, bulging look of varicose veins bother a few, others experience itching, pain, and tiredness in their legs. Bleeding, vein hardening, and skin ulcers around the ankle are extreme symptoms that indicate serious vascular disease requiring early venous ulcers treatment in Chennai. Although these symptoms of varicose veins can be improved by conservative management with compression therapy, it is not a cure. Surgery, which has been considered for a long time, the best way to eliminate incompetence using ligation and removal of the abnormal varicose vein, has essentially been replaced by EVLT with high success and low complication rates over the last few years.
What is EVLT for varicose veins?
Endo venous means inside the vein. EVLT always begins with a thorough examination to determine the cause of the varicose vein and to create a long-term treatment plan. EVLT surgery is a procedure that uses heat from a laser to treat varicose veins. A laser is a device that sends a thin beam of radiation in the form of light that closes and shrinks the varicose vein.
Medical lasers are highly-concentrated beams of light that have the capability to effectively target diseased tissue inside a varicose vein with extreme precision. The mechanism of action focuses on the underlying goal for all thermal ablation procedures to deliver sufficient heat energy to the wall of the incompetent vein segment that produces irreversible occlusion, fibrosis and ultimately leads to the disappearance of the vein.
The surgeon makes a small cut or incision in the skin to insert the catheter that will be guided into the varicose vein. A laser fiber that is put into the catheter, heats up the length of the vein as the surgeon slowly pulls out the catheter. The vein will then close up and should eventually shrink over a period of time. The whole procedure is usually done in less than an hour. There are no stitches needed at the tiny cut or incision through which the catheter was inserted, just a bandage will be used to cover the site. This procedure is generally performed within a clinical setup on an ambulatory basis with local anesthetic and typically requires no sedation. Following the procedure, compression stockings are applied and advised on daily walks. The procedure has no complications, does not cause scarring, offers a quick recovery and immediate return to normal activity.
Target veins for EVLT
Varicose veins are caused by malfunction of venous valves and reduced elasticity of the vein wall restricting the normal upward flow of blood and allowing the blood to pool within the veins of the calf and thigh. These veins begin to deform and become engorged. About 40% of adults are affected by varicose veins in the legs and are more commonly severe in obese people and in multiparous women. EVLT is a minimally-invasive and well-tolerated procedure that can help to treat varicose veins of the leg and improve venous circulation in people with venous function deficiency. EVLT generally treats most varicose veins successfully but additional therapy may be needed in certain target veins.
All aspects of the EVLT procedure for venous ulcers treatment in Chennai use ultrasound technology to ensure accurate identification of the targeted veins. Almost all patients with varicose veins are suitable for EVLT. It can be successfully and safely used to treat the great and small saphenous veins, the anterior and posterior accessory great saphenous vein, the superficial accessory saphenous vein, the anterior and posterior circumflex veins of the thigh as well as the thigh extensions of the small saphenous vein. EVLT has been effectively used to treat long straight competent tributary veins outside the superficial fascia, particularly in obese individuals where other methods such as sclerotherapy or micro phlebectomy would be difficult, time-consuming, and pose risks of side effects.
Benefits of EVLT for varicose veins
Varicose veins arising from venous disease are highly prevalent and contribute to significant pain, debility, and quality of life reduction in affected people. Many of them who suffer from this condition may not seek treatment due to a lack of awareness of the latest, pain-free methods of treatment. A plethora of options are available and EVLT is a minimally invasive, same-day procedure has been proven to deliver consistent results with minimal complications. Benefits of EVLT for varicose vein are:
- – Performed within outpatient clinical facilities under local anesthesia.
- – No IV, hospital stay, or recovery room time is involved.
- – Minimally invasive, resulting in rare chances of risk conditions.
- – Overall procedure time is less than 1 hour.
- – Rapid recovery.
- – Normal daily activities are advised to be resumed immediately post EVLT.
- – Return to work at the earliest possible.
- – Clinical and aesthetic results are excellent.
- – Painless procedure as compared to other treatment methods.
- – More cost-effective and time-saving than traditional treatments.
Surgery vs EVLT for varicose veins
Surgery has been the mainstay for many years in the treatment of varicose veins, but it has been demonstrated through studies that there is a period of post-operative impact on the quality of life. Surgery using vein ligation and stripping leads to painful and prolonged recovery along with risks of infection, haematoma, and nerve injury in many patients. Persistent reflux and significant recurrent rates have demanded a need for a development that aims for any new treatment.
Newer, less invasive wound healing treatment in Chennai through EVLT being available is an advantage to seek:
- – Treatment that avoids the morbidity of surgery
- – Performed as a day-case procedure under a local anesthetic
- – Treatment that could offer lower recurrence rates
- – A procedure that allows an early return to work.
EVLT is a fascinating therapy that has taken over surgery clinically, scientifically, and commercially. Clinically because of its very high success rate with minimal complications, scientifically because of the consented mechanism of action, and commercially because the mechanism of action created space for a wide variety of treatment protocols in the treatment of leg varicosities.