Previously, if conservative treatment of varicose veins did not produce the desired results, or if complications posed a serious risk to the patient's health, doctors prescribed surgery. In this case, the affected vein was completely removed, and after the operation, scars remained on the skin. Modern medicine allows, in certain cases, to replace an outdated operation with a more advanced laser therapy.
The essence of the impact is that a laser beam with a certain wavelength is directed at the dilated vein. The blood cells convert the incoming impulse into thermal energy, as a result of which the affected vein is sealed, as it were, and the blood begins to circulate through deeper healthy pathways.
At the same time, all adjacent tissues remain unharmed, since the laser beam acts selectively, and the area of the body on which the manipulation was performed does not cause subsequent discomfort due to the disabled vein.
Laser surgery for varicose veins is divided into two types, which are used in different situations. Percutaneous laser correction is used in most cases for the treatment of venous mesh, 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 the other type of procedure, but in this case the vein should not exceed 3 mm in diameter.
Endovasal laser coagulation (EVLK) is used more often, in Europe this procedure has become a priority therapeutic method, and surgical treatment of varicose veins is gradually relegated to the background. EVLK involves a microscopic incision in the skin through which a light guide is inserted into the damaged vein. This function allows you to freely "glue" any dilated vein that does not exceed 1 cm in diameter. The entire process is under the control of diagnostic ultrasound, so the risk of medical error is minimal.
Negative reviews about laser vein coagulation are often left by people who trusted an inexperienced doctor or ignored the advice of a specialist.
Indications and contraindications
Any procedure has indications and contraindications, which the attending physician must inform. In the case of treatment of varicose veins in the legs with laser coagulation, the specialist must carefully check the prerequisites for the procedure.
First of all, the vein should be expanded in the mouth no more than 10mm, otherwise the therapy will be useless and the problem will come back soon.
Second, the vein must have a smooth course from the trunk so that the light guide can freely pass through it from start to finish.
Third, there should not be too many varicose veins.
Before starting laser treatment, it is necessary to take into account the existing contraindications for the procedure:
- tendency to thrombophlebitis;
- any chronic disease in the acute stage;
- pathology of blood circulation;
- vein expansion of more than 1 cm;
- inflammatory processes in the affected area;
- infectious diseases accompanied by elevated body temperature;
- Low mobility of the patient for health reasons.
If you ignore the existing contraindications, then there may be negative consequences that will be much more difficult to eliminate. In order for the procedure to be successful, you need to contact only a specialized medical institution, which employs experienced and responsible specialists.
How is it the procedure
At 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. After that, tests are prescribed, and if no contraindications are found, the date of the session is announced.
There is no specialized preparation for laser coagulation, but the patient must follow certain recommendations of the specialist:
- loose and comfortable clothes and shoes should be worn, especially in the last days before the date indicated;
- a few days before the procedure, you need to stop taking medications that affect blood viscosity.
At the first stage, the phlebologist, together with an ultrasound diagnostic specialist, marks and marks the location of the entire part of the vein affected by varicose veins on the affected area of the patient's body. This step can vary in length: if the vein is straight and short, the process will only take a few minutes, and if it is often twisted and involved in a long section, marking may take longer.
The second stage 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 an ultrasound machine, carefully cuts the affected vein without damaging it. This stage is very important, because it not only anesthetizes the procedure, but also prevents the laser beam from affecting nearby tissues.
Laser varicose vein removal begins with the phlebologist choosing a suitable radiation mode for the patient. Subsequently, a small incision is made, through which a light guide is taken 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 laser beam source along the entire length of the dilated vein.
After laser treatment of the veins of the lower extremities, 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. In addition, immediately after exposure and for two weeks thereafter, you should walk for at least 30 minutes.
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 or recurrence. At first, the patient may feel discomfort, pain or other discomfort in the affected area, bruises may also appear, but these gradually disappear. 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 was interrupted, or the patient neglected the advice of a specialist, more serious complications may occur. The most harmless of them is the penetration of the infection through an open wound, which is treated with antibiotics. A more serious complication is the appearance of a thrombus of superficial or deep veins, which is treated only surgically.