VNUS Closure and Laser Vein Ablation Procedures
The VNUS Closure Procedure is clinically proven and provides a minimally invasive alternative that treats varicose veins and their underlying cause which is venous reflux, with little or no pain. VNUS Closure patients can actually walk away from the procedure and be back to everyday activities – either at home or at work – usually within a day.
The VNUS Closure Procedure (VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc., San Jose CA) is performed entirely under local tumescent anesthesia with more than 90% of patients resuming normal activities 1 to 2 days postoperatively. Its main drawback is the high cost of disposable catheters (approximately $750 per catheter) and the necessity of withdrawing the catheter manually at a speed of 2 to 3cm/min, which makes the procedure tedious especially when long segments of the great saphenous vein are treated.
The Laser
Simultaneous with development of radiofrequency ablation, endoluminal lasers have also been demonstrated to effectively close axial veins through thermal damage to endothelium with subsequent thrombosis and resorption of the damaged vein. Endoluminal laser ablation has lower disposable costs (less than $100/procedure) and is much quicker with the speed of pull-back 10 to 20cm/min.
These endovenous occlusion techniques are less invasive alternatives to saphenofemoral ligation and/or stripping. They are typically performed under local anesthesia with patients returning to normal activities within 1 to 2 days.
Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT, Diomed Inc., Andover, MA) allows delivery of laser energy directly into the blood vessel lumen to produce endothelial and vein wall damage with subsequent fibrosis (Figure 1). It is presumed that destruction of the great saphenous vein with laser is a function of thermal destruction.
*Please note Dr. Saines has the ability to do the Laser venous ablation procedure when indicated
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Copyright 1993-2008 Varicose Vein Doctor - Marius Saines. All rights reserved.
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