Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014;7(3):239-45.
doi: 10.3400/avd.oa.14-00081. Epub 2014 Aug 30.

Comparison of Bare-Tip and Radial Fiber in Endovenous Laser Ablation with 1470 nm Diode Laser

Masayuki Hirokawa  1 , Nobuhisa Kurihara  1
Affiliations

Comparison of Bare-Tip and Radial Fiber in Endovenous Laser Ablation with 1470 nm Diode Laser

Masayuki Hirokawa et al. Ann Vasc Dis. 2014.

Abstract

Objective: Major side effects after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) are pain and bruising. The aim of this study was to compare outcome and side effects after EVLA for primary varicose veins with 1470 nm diode laser using bare-tip orradial fiber.

Methods: From October 2007 to December 2010, 385 patients (453 limbs) with primary varicose veins treated with 1470 nm laser were studied. Bare-tip fiber was used in 215 patients (242 limbs) (BF group) and radial fiber (ELVeS(TM)Radial, Biolitec AG, Germany) was used in 177 patients (211 limbs) (RF group). This study is a retrospective study and radial fiber was started for use from November 2008. Laser energy was administered at 6-12 W of power in the BF group and 10 W of power in the RF group with constant pullback of laser fiber under tumescent local anesthesia. The patients were assessed by clinical examination and venous duplex ultrasonography at 24-48 h, one week, one month, 4 months and one year follow-up postoperatively.

Results: Mean operating time, length of treated vein and linear endovenous laser energy of all cases were 42.6 min, 36.2 cm and 83.4 J/cm, respectively. Major complications such as deep vein thrombosis and skin burns were not noted. Bruising (1.9% vs. 19.4%) and pain (0.9% vs. 7.4%) were significantly lower in the RF group. Cumulative occlusion rates by Kaplan-Meier method were 100% at 32 months in the RF group and 99.5% at 4 years in the BF group.

Conclusion: EVLA using 1470 nm laser with the radial fiber minimized adverse effects compared with bare-tip laser fiber. (English translation of Jpn J Vasc Surg 2013; 22: 615-621).

Keywords: 1470 nm laser; endovenous laser ablation; radial fiber; varicose vein.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Radial fiber. A radial fiber (ELVeS RadialTM; Biolitec AG, Germany) emits the laser energy radially around the tip directly into the venous wall.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Typical duplex ultrasound image after endovenous laser ablation using radial fiber. Duplex scanning reveals partial patency of the treated vein which has compressibility without blood flow. Thickening of the vein wall is also seen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Hirokawa M. Basic of laser. Textbook of Endovenous Laser Ablation. Tokyo: Japan Medical Journal, 2011: 9-21 (in Japanese)
    1. Vuylsteke ME, Mordon SR. Endovenous laser ablation: a review of mechanisms of action. Ann Vasc Surg 2012; 26: 424-33 - PubMed
    1. Almeida J, Mackay E, Javier J, et al. Saphenous laser ablation at 1470 nm targets the vein wall, not blood. Vasc Endovascular Surg 2009; 43: 467-72 - PubMed
    1. Hirokawa M. Mechanisms of action during endovenous laser ablation. JJSLSM 2012; 33: 57-62 (in Japanese)
    1. Goldman MP, Mauricio M, Rao J. Intravascular 1320-nm laser closure of the great saphenous vein: a 6- to 12-month follow-up study. Dermatol Surg 2004; 30: 1380-5 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources