What is EVLT?

Endovenous laser ablation is one of the safest minimally invasive treatments for chronic venous insufficiency, the root cause of spider veins and varicose veins. This procedure involves channeling laser energy through a specialized catheter to destroy the diseased saphenous vein responsible for your vein problems. The endovenous laser is driven into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance via a small incision on the skin’s surface, and it delivers laser energy into the vein’s walls, making it seal shut. The accumulated blood reroutes into healthier leg veins, restoring optimal blood circulation to the heart.
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Is EVLA Safe?

Endovenous laser ablation was first developed as a minimally invasive treatment for vein disease in 2003. Until endovenous laser ablation came around, chronic venous insufficiency could only be treated through complex surgical procedures, such as venous bypass surgery, vein ligation, and vein stripping. Varicose vein surgery is effective, but it involves hospitalization, general anesthesia, multiple excisions, and a high risk of complications, such as infections and deep vein thrombosis. Surgery also involves several weeks of recovery period.

Endovenous laser ablation transformed the landscape, making vein treatments simple, safe, and, most of all, convenient for everyone. EVLA is an in-office minimally invasive treatment that involves one small incision on the skin’s surface and no general anesthesia. The treatment concludes within 30 minutes, following which the patient can walk out of the vein clinic and resume their daily activities. Furthermore, the risk of complications, such as infections and deep vein thrombosis, is significantly lower than vein surgeries. Endovenous laser ablation also reduces the risk of long-term vein disease recurrence, making it safer and more effective than traditional vascular surgeries.

How Does EVLA Work?

Your EVLA journey starts with consultation with the vein doctor at our vein clinic in Maryland. The vein doctor will diagnose the root cause of your vein problems, and, if you have vein disease, determine if you’re a suitable candidate for endovenous laser ablation. The vein physician will also explain all the steps involved in the vein treatment process, ensuring you understand what the treatment involves.

During the day of the procedure, you will lie down on a reclining table. You will be asked to avoid caffeine that day. The medical team will cleanse your leg, following which the vein doctor will administer local anesthesia to ensure comfort. The vein doctor makes a small incision on the skin’s surface to insert a catheter into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. A wire is threaded through the catheter, and a sheath is placed over the wire, following which a laser fiber is driven into the diseased vein.

The vein doctor delivers tumescent anesthesia to cover the diseased vein’s walls. The numbing agent protects the surrounding tissues from the effects of laser energy. When activated, the laser fiber heats the walls of the diseased vein to generate an inflammatory response and seal the vein shut. Over time, the diseased vein hardens into a scar tissue eventually reabsorbed by the body. The vein doctor applies pressure on your legs while you stand up, and your leg is wrapped in an ACE bandage for about 24 hours.

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How do vein doctors treat varicose veins? What do they do to get rid of varicose veins? We describe what you can expect from vein clinics in Maryland.

What are the advantages & disadvantages of EVLT?

Advantages

  • Causes mild discomfort – no pain
  • No risk of skin discoloration after treatment
  • Concludes within a maximum of 60 minutes
  • Resume your daily activities and work immediately
  • Leaves no unsightly scars or marks

Disadvantages

  • Must avoid strenuous workouts and activities after the treatment
  • Slightly more uncomfortable than radiofrequency ablation
  • Has to be performed using needles

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If you have questions or concerns about the treatment cost or your insurance eligibility, you can call our front desk team directly. Please call (240) 226-2566

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You can also schedule an appointment online via our official website. Our insurance team will contact you to request your insurance details.

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