If earlier conservative treatment of varicose veins did not bring 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 Modern medicine, in certain cases, makes it possible to replace an outdated operation with more advanced laser therapy.
The essence of the impact is that a laser beam of a certain wavelength is aimed at the dilated vein. Blood cells convert the incoming impulse into thermal energy, as a result of which the affected vein is closed off and the blood begins to circulate through deeper, healthy pathways.
At the same time, all adjacent tissues remain unharmed, since the laser beam acts on a point basis, and the area of the body on which the manipulation was performed does not subsequently cause any discomfort from the obstructed vein.
Laser surgery for varicose veins is divided into two types that are used in different situations. In most cases, percutaneous laser correction is used to treat venous plexuses, which can be described as 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 the other type of procedure, but in this case the vein should not exceed 3 mm in diameter.
Endovascular laser coagulation (EVLK) is used more and more often, in Europe this procedure has become a priority therapy method, and the surgical treatment of varicose veins is gradually receding into the background. EVLK involves a microscopic skin incision through which a light guide is inserted into the damaged vein. This feature allows you to freely "glue" any dilated vein that does not exceed 1 cm in diameter. The whole process is controlled by ultrasound diagnostics, so the risk of medical error is minimal.
Most often, negative reviews about laser coagulation of veins are left by people who trusted an inexperienced doctor or ignored the advice of a specialist.
Indications and contraindications
Each procedure has indications and contraindications, about which the attending physician should inform. When treating varicose veins in the legs with laser coagulation, the specialist must carefully consider the requirements for the procedure.
Firstly, the vein at the mouth must be expanded by no more than 10 mm, otherwise the therapy will be useless, and the problem will soon recur.
Second, the vein must have a smooth trunk so that the light guide can pass through it unhindered from beginning to end.
Third, there should not be too many varicose veins.
Before starting laser treatment, it is necessary to take into account the existing contraindications to the procedure:
- tendency to thrombophlebitis;
- all chronic diseases in the acute stage;
- circulatory pathology;
- vein dilatation more than 1 cm;
- inflammatory processes in the affected area;
- Infectious diseases, accompanied by increased body temperature;
- low mobility of the patient for health reasons.
If you ignore the existing contraindications, there may be negative consequences that are much more difficult to eliminate. In order for the procedure to be successful, you just need to contact a specialized medical institution that employs experienced and responsible specialists.
How is the process
During a preliminary consultation with a 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 session is announced.
There is no special preparation for laser coagulation, but the patient must follow certain specialist recommendations:
- loose and comfortable clothing and shoes should be worn, especially in the last few days before the appointment;
- A few days before the procedure, you need to stop taking drugs that affect blood viscosity.
At the first stage, the phlebologist, together with a specialist in ultrasound diagnostics, 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 takes only a few minutes, if it is often twisted and tangled in a long section, the marking can take longer.
The second stage is the use of local anesthetics, which are most often used as novocaine, if the patient is not allergic to them. Under the control of an ultrasound machine, the doctor carefully cuts off the affected vein without damaging it. This stage is very important as it not only numbs the procedure but also prevents the laser beam from affecting adjacent tissues.
Removal of varicose veins with a laser begins with the choice by the phlebologist of a mode of irradiation that is suitable for the patient. A small skin incision is then made, through which a light guide is guided to the vein in the case of endovascular coagulation, or the laser acts superficially in the case of the percutaneous method. With the help of an ultrasound device, the phlebologist controls the process, moving the source of the laser beam along the entire length of the dilated vein.
After laser treatment of the veins of the lower extremities, you need to wear compression underwear not only during the day, but also at night for two weeks and the first days after the procedure. You must also walk for at least 30 minutes immediately after exposure and for two weeks thereafter.
consequences of therapy
In most cases, varicose veins in the legs and other parts of the body are amenable to laser coagulation without side effects and recurrences. At first, the patient may experience discomfort, pain or other discomfort in the affected area, bruising may also appear, but this will gradually disappear. Otherwise, you need the help of a doctor.
If the course of laser treatment of varicose veins on the legs and other parts of the body was disrupted, or the patient neglected the advice of a specialist, more serious complications may arise. The most harmless is the entry of an infection through an open wound that is treated with antibiotics. A more serious complication is the appearance of a thrombus of superficial or deep veins, which is treated only surgically.