At Profile MD we love lasers, and we’re continually finding new ways to help patients with the power of these little beauties.
Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) is one of the more recent advances, enabling us to treat varicose veins in an almost painless fashion.
Treating varicose veins in the past has been a painful, involved process. Called ligation and stripping, the process to remove varicose veins was an invasive surgical process that required up to two weeks of recovery time, and was fairly painful. The targeted vein basically had to tied off and grasped through a series of incisions and removed from the leg.
Those days are over at Profile MD, thanks to our endovenous laser therapy (EVLT). This minimally invasive procedure is a new way to treat varicose veins without the pain and recovery of vein stripping.
What are the advantages of EVLT?
When compared with ligation and stripping, there are many advantages to removing with varicose veins with EVLT.
- Most insurances cover EVLT
- In-office care
- Immediate relief from symptoms
- Little to no downtime
- Takes less than an hour to perform
- Fast safe & comfortable
How does EVLT work?
In an EVLT procedure, Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jared Mallalieu first identifies the damaged vein. Next a small amount of local anesthetic is injected into the vein area. Once the patient is numb, a laser fiber is passed through a thin catheter into the vein. While doing this, the doctor watches the vein on a duplex ultrasound screen to ensure the proper placement.
Once in place, the laser fires a short burst of high-intensity energy down the length of the targeted vein. This energy damages the walls of the vein, causing them to collapse, shrink, and eventually disappear. Any blood that was circulating through the varicose vein diverts naturally to adjacent healthier veins. Your body naturally reabsorbs the treated blood vessel.
To finish the procedure the probe is removed from the vein and a small dressing applied along with compression bandages. The entire procedure takes less than an hour. Most people get up and walk within 15 minutes after treatment.
Recovery and results
Mild bruising and swelling are common side effects. You can resume normal activities in a day or two.
Forget ligation and stripping. Let’s address those varicose veins with EVLT at Profile MD. Call for a Free screening to see if this treatment would benefit you. (410) 544-4600. Get Healthy Legs!
