Page 17 - vascular professional 01_2021_eMagazine

vascular professional | issue 01 · 2021 original article

5-year-results: Endovenous laser ablation of

varicose veins with the 2-ring 1470nm radialtip

in comparison to a radiofrequency catheter

Endovenous Laser Ablation BY DR. JUERGEN BOEHME,
Veincenter Lueneburg, Germany

The development from trunk RADIOFREQUENCY Total number of veins: 296
ablation to laser crossectomy GSV: 226

Summary: SSV: 70
The aim of this investigation has been to deliver 5-year-
follow-up data with the focus on recurrences of varicose LASER Total number of veins: 225
veins in the site of the treatment using a 2-ring-1470nm GSV: 175
radialtip-laser fi bre and a radiofrequency catheter.
This retrospective shows the situation of real life in SSV: 50
Northern Germany due to the limits of reimbursement.
Laser and RFA are not equally covered. Therefore we present 5-year-results of the 2-ring laser,
The use of the 2-ring laser proved to be more for either great or small saphenous veins either, in a ret-
effi cient than the radiofrequency catheter. rospective analysis.
There are no such studies until recently, all previous
Objectives: studies were done with the bare fi bre laser.
Thermal ablation of varicose truncal veins has become a In 2017 the patients of the year 2012 were scanned
common treatment option. The laser technology changed by duplex ultrasound to look for recurrencies and techni-
dramatically in 2007. The used wavelength increased cal failures.
from 980nm to 1470nm. In 2008 the delivery of the ap-
plied endovenous energy was no longer straight forward POSITIONING OF THE CATHETER TIP DIFFERS
but modulated by one and since 2012 by two single rings
to reach the veinwall on the shortest possible way. Thus Radiallaser 2-ring
the target of the laser energy switched from hemoglobin (ELVES® Radial® by biolitec®)
in the blood to the water in the veinwall. Close to the terminal valve to perform
The aim of this investigation was to deliver 5-year- laser-crossectomy
follow-up data with the focus on recurrencies in the site
of the treatment in comparison to the radiofrequency Radiofrequency catheder
catheter. (ClosureFAST™ by Medtronic )
Below the superfi cial epigastric vein
Methods:
We originally treated 512 patients with 663 veins (FAST
404, LASER 257). Overall, 82 patients were lost to follow-
up (FAST 66, LASER 16) that we have had included in our
investigation at least 430 patients with 512 veines.
All procedures were done by one vascular surgeon.

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