Endovenous Laser Therapy (Ablation)
Endovenous laser therapy has been developed to treat chronic venous insufficiency by delivering laser energy through a small puncture in the leg to close the diseased vein. No surgery is required and the entire procedure can be performed in approximately one hour in our office. During the procedure, you are awake and your leg is anesthetized.
The vein is punctured at the knee with a tiny needle. There, through a tiny nick in the skin, a spaghetti sized, plastic tube is placed into the vein and guided up to the groin. A very thin laser fiber device is passed through the plastic tube and then energized and slowly withdrawn from the vein. This seals the vein. You will feel no pain during the activation. The tiny skin nick is bandaged and then your compression stocking is applied while you are lying on the table. The entire procedure should take approximately one hour.
There is no need for general anesthesia. Your leg will be numbed in the treated area with lidocaine or EMLA Cream. (EMLA Cream is a topical anesthetic that numbs the skin and decreases the sensation of pain.) You will be awake for the entire procedure. If desired, a sedative can be prescribed to take before the procedure.