Original paper
Endovenous laser treatment of the small saphenous vein. Single-centre experience study

Objectives: Endovenous laser treatment of incompetent great saphenous vein is widely described in the literature. Only a few studies, mainly with a limited number of patients and a short follow up are related to minimally invasive laser ablation of small saphenous vein. Our paper presents single centre experience of 140 small saphenous vein laser ablations with long term postoperative follow up.

Material and methods: The group of patients who underwent endovenous laser treatment of small saphenous vein consisted of 132 patients. Totally, 140 small saphenous vein laser ablations were performed (in some patients bilaterally). The endovenous laser ablation was carried out using the VenaCure diode laser, 1470 nm – AngioDynamics, Never Touch Fibre.

Results: We achieved very high efficacy of the procedure with 100% primary occlusion rate. Postoperative rate of significant complications was markedly low and included only 2 deep vein thromboses (1.4%), 2 late, spontaneous recanalizations (1.4%) and transient paresthesias did not exceed 9.8% (13 patients). Frequency of minor typical side effects of the procedure as ecchymoses and bruising (8.4%) and micropuncture site hematomas (23%) was typical for endovenous laser treatment procedures.

Conclusions: Endovenous laser treatment of small saphenous vein insufficiency is safe, quick, requires only a few hours of hospitalisation and provides very good cosmetic effect, quick recovery and fast return to normal activities. In opinion of authors the method seems to be advantageous to open surgery of short saphenous vein.