Previously, if conservative treatment of varicose veins did not give the desired results, or complications posed a serious risk to the patient’s health, doctors prescribed surgery. In this case, the affected vein was completely removed, and scars remained on the skin after the operation. Modern medicine allows, in certain cases, the replacement of obsolete surgery with more advanced laser therapy.
The essence of the impact is that the laser beam of a certain wavelength is directed at the varicose vein. Blood cells convert the incoming impulse into heat energy, which is why the affected vein, so to speak, closes and the blood begins to circulate in deeper healthy ways.
At the same time, all adjacent tissues remain undamaged because the laser beam acts selectively and the area of the body where the manipulation was performed subsequently does not cause discomfort due to the disabled vein.
Laser varicose vein surgery is divided into two types, which are used in different situations. Percutaneous laser correction is in most cases used to treat the venous network, which can be called an early stage in the development of varicose veins. The procedure is performed without direct contact with the skin, and the result is no different from another type of procedure, but in this case the vein must not be larger than 3 mm in diameter.
Endovasal laser coagulation (EVLK) is increasingly used, in Europe this procedure has become a priority method of therapy, and surgical treatment of varicose veins is gradually being pushed into the background. EVLK involves a microscopic incision in the skin through which a light guide is inserted into a damaged vein. This feature allows you to freely "glue" any varicose vein that does not exceed 1 cm in diameter. The whole process is under the control of ultrasound diagnostics, so the risk of medical error is minimal.
Negative reviews about laser vein coagulation are most often left by people who trusted an inexperienced doctor or ignored expert advice.
Indications and contraindications
Each procedure has indications and contraindications, which the doctor should tell. In the case of treatment of varicose veins on the legs with laser coagulation, the specialist must carefully check the prerequisites for the procedure.
First, the vein must be dilated in the mouth by a maximum of 10 mm, otherwise the therapy will be useless, and the problem will return soon.
Second, the vein must have a smooth flow of the trunk so that the light guide can pass through it freely from beginning to end.
Third, varicose veins should not be too much.
Before starting the laser treatment, it is necessary to take into account the existing contraindications for the procedure:
- predisposition to thrombophlebitis;
- all chronic diseases in the acute phase;
- blood circulation pathology;
- varicose veins more than 1 cm;
- inflammatory processes in the affected area;
- infectious diseases accompanied by fever;
- poor patient mobility for health reasons.
If you ignore the existing contraindications, there can be negative consequences that will be much harder to eliminate. For the procedure to be successful, it is necessary to contact only a specialized medical institution, which employs experienced and responsible professionals.
How is the procedure
At a preliminary consultation with the doctor, the patient answers all the necessary questions and undergoes an examination so that the specialist can decide whether laser treatment of varicose veins will help in this case and whether it is necessary at all. After that, tests are prescribed, and if no contraindications are found, the date of the event is announced.
There is no specialized preparation for laser coagulation, but the patient must adhere to certain recommendations of experts:
- should wear loose and comfortable clothing and footwear, especially in the last days before the agreed date;
- you must stop taking medicines that affect your blood viscosity for a few days before the procedure.
In the first phase, the phlebologist, together with the ultrasound diagnostics specialist, marks and marks the location of the entire part of the vein affected by varicose veins on the affected part of the patient's body. This step can vary in length: if the vein is straight and short, the process will take only a few minutes, and if it is often twisted and included in the long part, the marking may take longer.
The second phase is the use of local anesthesia, which is most often used as novocaine, if the patient is not allergic to it. The doctor, under the control of the ultrasound machine, carefully cuts the affected vein without damage. This phase is very important, because it not only anesthetizes the procedure, but also prevents the laser beam from affecting nearby tissues.
Laser removal of varicose veins begins with the selection of a radiation method that is suitable for the patient by a phlebologist. After that, a small incision is made through which the light guide is led to the vein if endovasal coagulation is performed, or the laser acts superficially if the percutaneous method is chosen. With the help of an ultrasound machine, the phlebologist controls the process and moves the source of the laser beam along the entire length of the varicose vein.
After laser treatment of lower extremity veins, you will need to wear compression underwear for two weeks, and in the first days after the procedure, not only during the day, but also at night. Also, immediately after the exposure and after that for two weeks, you will have to walk for at least 30 minutes.
Consequences of therapy
In most cases, varicose veins on the legs and other parts of the body are subject to laser coagulation without side effects and recurrence. At the beginning, the patient may feel discomfort, pain or other discomfort in the affected area, bruises may also appear, but this gradually disappears. Otherwise you will need the help of a doctor.
If the course of laser treatment of varicose veins on the legs and other parts of the body is disturbed, or the patient has ignored the advice of a specialist, more serious complications can occur. The safest of these is the penetration of infection through an open wound that is treated with antibiotics. A more serious complication is the formation of a thrombus in the superficial or deep veins, which can only be treated surgically.