Pain in the aftermath of minimal invasive treatment for unilateral incompetence of the great saphenous vein

Abstract

Objectives: Assessment of postprocedural pain after minimal invasive treatment of unilateral incompetence of the great saphenous vein.

Methods: A total of 85 patients treated with endovenous laser ablation (1470 nm) in combination with foam sclerotherapy and evulsions reported postprocedural pain on a visual analogue scale (0-10) during 28 days after treatment.

Results: A mean pain reduction from 3.9 on the first postinterventional day to 0.3 was noted during the observation time. After 28 days, 7% of patients had a visual analogue scale >1. Higher body mass index was strongly associated with more pain during the whole follow-up period (p < 0.01). Higher energy application per cm vein and greater great saphenous vein diameter showed more pain in the first week. Other factors like clinical stage CEAP classification, combination of laser with avulsions and/or sclerotherapy, season of treatment timepoint, and age or sex did not influence postinterventional pain course.

Conclusion: Higher body mass index and higher energy application per cm are associated with more postprocedural pain after endovenous laser ablation.

Keywords: Endovenous laser treatment; great saphenous vein; varicose veins.