4 Advantages of Endovenous Laser Ablation Treatment (EVLT)
If you’re struggling with varicose veins that aren’t improving with conservative therapy, it can be discouraging. Varicose veins can be bothersome, unsightly and even downright painful. When compression stockings aren’t bringing you enough relief from chronic venous disease, you may want to consider a procedure known as endovenous laser ablation treatment (EVLT).
At The Vein Institute of Hunterdon, we are committed to keeping you informed about your options when it comes to managing varicose veins. Here’s what you need to know about EVLT, including four significant advantages of EVLT compared to other forms of varicose vein treatment.
What Is EVLT?
When you’re ready to banish the daily agony of varicose veins, an endovenous laser ablation treatment can help. During the EVLT procedure, a provider threads a tiny laser fiber into the problematic vein and then directs laser heat through the fiber, specifically targeting areas of high water concentration.
Your vein is full of blood, and blood is mostly water, which ensures that only the vein—and not the surrounding tissue—receives the effect of the laser. The heat of the laser causes the vein wall to heat up, leading to its eventual collapse. When the problematic vein closes up, it shrinks. Blood is then rerouted to other blood vessels within your body, and your symptoms improve.
Why Is EVLT Performed?
If you have varicose veins due to chronic venous disease, you likely know the uncomfortable symptoms that can take away your quality of life. Varicose veins that don’t respond to traditional compression therapy can cause leg heaviness, itching, foot swelling and pain—and they can alter the appearance of your skin. An EVLT procedure can help patients overcome the difficulties of varicose veins and improve their quality of life.
What Are 4 Advantages of EVLT?
Compared to other forms of treatment for varicose veins, such as vein stripping, endovenous laser ablation treatment (EVLT) represents a more straightforward option for many patients.
1. EVLT Is Less Invasive Than Vein Stripping
Another form of varicose vein treatment, known as vein stripping, can also be an effective way to manage varicose veins. However, this involves removing the problematic part of the vein from the body, which requires more incisions than the single incision used to introduce the laser fiber in EVLT.
2. EVLT Results in Rapid Recovery
If you’re interested in EVLT, you’ll be pleased to learn that it is a same-day procedure that can be done as an outpatient and results in a very short recovery time. Patients undergoing EVLT can return to work within an average of one day.
3. EVLT Confers Long-Lasting Effects
If you’re considering undergoing an EVLT procedure, it helps to know what to expect. Laser ablation can provide fast relief from the obnoxious and painful symptoms of chronic venous disease. And, these effects can last a long time. In fact, studies show that after EVLT, problematic veins remain destroyed in 96.7 percent of patients five years after the procedure.
4. EVLT Can Be Used for Deep Veins
If your varicose vein is far beneath the surface of your skin, EVLT may be a better option for management than sclerotherapy—which uses a medication injected into the vein—or vein stripping. Large veins are especially responsive to treatments with EVLT compared to smaller, more superficial veins.
How to Learn More About Endovenous Laser Ablation Treatments
At The Vein Institute of Hunterdon, our providers specialize in helping our patients overcome the discomfort and self-consciousness stemming from vein-related conditions.
To learn more about our EVLT services, contact us today.