Can you get bone irritation and is it a normal side effect after having an Endovenous Laser Ablation procedure?
No, bone irritation is not a side effect. You could feel a “pulling” or “tugging” sensation in the lover extremity that was treated near the ablated vein. That would be expected. However, the Endovenous Laser Ablation shouldn’t [...]
Are there complications during pregnancy after having EVLA? I had this surgery a year ago, then again 4 days ago because the first one was not successful. I would like to get pregnant in the next could of months, but an worried about clots. Should I be, or are there other risks?
There is no [...]
Is there a risk to the fetus if we did an EVLT while the patient was 4-5 weeks pregnant?
The patient was unaware she was pregnant.
Generally, elective procedures are not advised during pregnancy. However, I am not aware of any risk to fetus by endovenous ablations. Deep vein thrombosis is a rare but serious complication of [...]
Is it true that radiofrequency occlusion is associated with a higher recurrence rate of varicose veins than endovenous laser ablation? I heard that there’s a greater chance the vein would re-open with RO.
All studies show that the results are the same. There is study that shows a slightly higher recurrence rate for radiofrequency vs. laser. [...]
I’m pretty sure I want to have my moderate varicose veins treated with ELA. What should I base my choice of a specialist on? Degrees earned, years of experience, before-and-after pictures, equipment used? What’s truly important to a good result?
Perhaps most important is what other patients say about the physician, and your gut [...]
When I will see an improvement in the appearance of the treated varicose vein?
I have just had the endovenous laser ablation procedure. A lot of the leg discomfort I had before the procedure is gone. How long after treatment will I see an improvement in the ropey appearance of the varicose veins?
Laser ablation treats [...]
I have distended, ropey veins on the anterior surface of my left calf and have been told that my problem involves the perforator veins. How would you treat this? Would you use traditional laser or “cold” laser?
Any of the medical LASERs used for endovenous thermal ablation procedures can be utilized well for ablation of [...]
If the EVLT procedure doesn’t alleviate problems in the lower leg do/can you laser the lower leg?
Yes you can laser in the lower leg, but you have to be much more careful. There is a nerve that supplies sensation to the skin, called the saphenous nerve, that runs along the vein in the lower [...]
After having sclerotherapy 6 weeks ago, now I am having intense pain in my foot and I am having trouble walking on it. Is this normal? The physician says it is not related to the sclerotherapy or vein stripping I had done on same leg.
Difficult to tell if related. Nerve damage can develop after stripping or [...]
What is risk of getting burned during a laser procedure? The idea of a laser in my leg sounds a little scary.
There is a very small risk of getting a burn, however using tumescent anesthesia, this risk is reduced greatly. Tumescent anesthesia is essentially a mixture of salt water and numbing medicine that surrounds [...]
Can EVLT be used to treat multiple veins or only the greater saphenous vein?
Will it take care of varicose veins that are closer to my ankles?
Endovenous laser ablation (ELA) will treat veins other than the saphenous. However, most veins lower in the leg must be treated with sclerotherapy or vein stripping. The ELA treats [...]
Is the vein mapping procedure done with ELA?
Mapping of a vein is done prior to any EVLT procedure. Ultrasound is done prior to even minor procedures such as sclerotherapy, this eliminates the possibility of missing an important refluxing vein. The EVLT procedure is done entirely under ultrasound guidance.
- Dr. Wright
Is that bad for the body to have dead tissue laying around?
No, ELA does not remove veins. The cells of the veins or tissue are replaced with healing tissue. Think about a scratch on your skin. A scab develops then as the healing process continues the scab cells are replaced with healthy new tissue over [...]
Is it better to get the EVLT when you’re young? I’m 68. Are there more risks involved as you get older?
There are no age restrictions to laser ablation. Because the procedure is done under local anesthesia, it is extremely safe and can be done at any age. I have done this procedure on patients as [...]
Does the laser treatment hurt? It seems like the laser would hurt.
Patients typically require either no analgesic or an over the counter analgesic after the procedure. Properly performed Endovenous Laser Ablation is associated with minimal discomfort.
As with many procedures, there is frequently a mild peak of discomfort at days 3 to5 days after the procedure, [...]
