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
Comparative Study
. 2020 Apr;74(2):100-104.
doi: 10.5455/medarh.2020.74.100-104.

Comparing the Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Laser Ablation for Chronic Venous Insufficiency in the Lower Extremities: a Vietnamese Report

Tran Anh Tuan  1 , Nguyen Minh Duc  2   3 , Le Nguyet Minh  1 , Hoang Duc Ha  4 , Vu Dang Luu  1   5 , Pham Minh Thong  1   5
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparing the Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Laser Ablation for Chronic Venous Insufficiency in the Lower Extremities: a Vietnamese Report

Tran Anh Tuan et al. Med Arch. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a chronic condition, triggered by reflux through the saphenous vein network.

Aim: To determine the efficacy of endovenous laser ablation (LA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for CVI treatment in the lower extremities, at the Bach Mai Radiology Center.

Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board of Bach Mai Hospital. The study recruited 49 people, from August 2016 to April 2018, with recurrent venous insufficiency in the lower extremities and measured 56 ablated veins.

Results: In this study, 8 patients (10 veins, with a mean diameter of 5.83 ± 0.96 mm) were treated with RFA, and 41 patients (46 veins, with a mean diameter of 7.96 ± 3.47 mm) were treated with LA. The occlusion rates for LA- and RFA-treated veins were very effective, at 95.7% and 90%, respectively. No significant differences in occlusion rates or clinical improvements were observed between the two ablation methods. On the first day post-treatment, the visual analog score (VAS) value for the LA group was significantly higher than that for the RFA group. Furthermore, ecchymosis, 1 day after treatment, and hyperpigmentation, paresthesia, and numbness, 1 month after treatment, were only observed in the LA group.

Conclusion: Both LA and RFA were minimally-invasive and safe therapies. No serious complications requiring further interventions were reported and the treatment effectively improved the clinical symptoms of patients. Based on our study, we recommend that RFA should be considered for moderate dilated saphenous vein cases, whereas LA should be indicated for large dilated saphenous vein cases, with or without aneurysm.

Keywords: Chronic venous insufficiency; Endovenous laser ablation; Endovenous radiofrequency ablation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. 56-year-old, female patient with CVI in the right GSV (left image). VCSS before treatment was 6. One month after LA, varicose veins were completely resolved (right image).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. 65-year-old, male patient with CVI in the right GSV (left image). VCSS prior to treatment was 9. One month after RFA, varicose veins were completely resolved (right image).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Quarto G, Amato B, Giani U, et al. Comparison of traditional surgery and laser treatment of incontinent great saphenous vein. Results of a meta-Analysis. Ann Ital Chir. 2016;87:61–67. - PubMed
    1. Puglisi B, Tacconi A, San Filippo F. L’application du laser NDYAG dans le traitement du syndrome variquex. [Application of the ND-YAG laser in the treatment of varicose syndrome] In: Davey A, Stemmer R, editors. Phlebology’ 89. London: J Libby Eurotext; 1989. pp. 39–842.
    1. Berridge D, Bradbury AW, Davies AH, et al. Recommendations for the referral and treatment of patients with lower limb chronic venous insufficiency (including varicose veins) Phlebology. 2011;26:91–93. - PubMed
    1. Gloviczki P, Comerota AJ, Dalsing MC, et al. The care of patients with varicose veins and associated chronic venous diseases: clinical practice guidelines of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum. J Vasc Surg. 2011;53(Suppl):2S–48S. - PubMed
    1. Khilnani NM, Grassi CJ, Kundu S, et al. Multi-society consensus quality improvement guidelines for the treatment of lower-extremity superficial venous insufficiency with endovenous thermal ablation from the Society of Interventional Radiology, Cardiovascular Interventional Radiological Society of Europe, American College of Phlebology and Canadian Interventional Radiology Association. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2010;21(1):14–31. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms