Varicose veins - laser treatment

Laser treatment for varicose veins – Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT)

During a consultation with your doctor, it was decided that you would have therapy during which varicose veins will be treated with the aid of a laser. This leaflet
provides an explanation of the procedure.

Preparation

• The laser therapy takes place in the Outpatients’ Operating Room on the third floor in the Day Treatment Department. You do not need to be admitted to hospital for this procedure.
• Please do not use cream or ointment on your leg on the day of the treatment.
• Please inform us if you have trouble lying still. Together we will try to find the most comfortable position for you.
• After the treatment, compression stockings will be fitted on to the leg.
  Please ensure that you are wearing loose fittings clothing and shoes.
• It may be difficult to drive a car or ride a bicycle after treatment so please bring someone along who is able to take you home.

What is laser therapy?
Laser therapy is a procedure in which a laser wire is guided into the varicose vein that requires treatment. The laser energy creates heat, which causes the vein to seal from the inside.
This therapy is suitable for large varicose veins that run fairly straight. Treatment takes place under a local anaesthetic. You can (and are expected) to walk again immediately after the procedure.

How does the treatment proceed?
You will be asked to undress totally and you will be given an operation gown and bed socks.
The procedure takes place in a sterile environment. This means that your legs will be disinfected before being draped with sterile sheets. Your head will not be covered and you will be able to talk to the doctor.

The doctor inserts a needle into the vein of your leg. The catheter and laser wire are guided into the vein through this needle. Sometimes you will feel a little discomfort as the catheter is pushed up into the leg. Once the laser wire has been inserted, the entire length of the vein is anaesthetised with a few injections. After the treatment, compression stockings will be fitted on to your leg.

Length of the treatment
The whole procedure will take about 30 minutes. The preparations for the actual laser treatment are next and will take up most of the procedure time. The laser therapy itself only takes a few minutes.

After treatment

• After a short observation with a cup of coffee or tea, you may leave the hospital. You, then, have to walk for 20 minutes.
• The compression stockings must be left on for two days and two nights and
  after that, you may remove it. You will, however, feel less pain if you continue to wear the compression stockings for a whole week.
• You may have some bruises on the leg that was treated. These should disappear spontaneously over the course of several weeks.
• After arriving back home, we suggest that you continue to walk regularly.
• Please contact the Surgery Outpatients’ Clinic if the pain persists, despite pain
  medication, from wearing the compression stockings or if the leg
  becomes red or swollen.
• You may resume normal sporting activities one week after the procedure
  (cycling, running, etc.).
• For a week you may feel some pain in your upper leg. For this, you can use
  paracetamol or declofenac. You will be given a prescription for this.

Questions
If you have any questions, please contact us. Surgery Outpatients’ Clinic tel:
070 - 312 43 59 on working days from 09.00 - 11.30 hours and from 14.00 - 15.30 hours.

In case of emergency outside office hours, please contact the (assistant) surgeon via the Accident and Emergency Department: tel: 070 - 312 44 45.

No-show fee
We wish to point out that Bronovo applies a no-show fee. This means that we ask you to cancel your appointmet at least 24 hours in advance. (Monday to Friday during office hours). Failure to cancel in time will result in legally determined no-show fee.

Edition: april 2012/47