Varicose veins

Varicose veins (VV) are an important social and health problem. In developed countries

they occur in 25-50% of women and in 7-40% of men and their prevalence increases with age

Because of aging of the human population, it can be assumed that their prevalence will grow.

VV may lead to phlebitis, bleeding and ulcers. Healing of venous leg ulcers is very long and expensive, they tend to reoccur and recurrent ulcers are more difficult to heal.

A standard surgical treatment of VV may be complicated by prolonged postoperative pain, saphenous nerve injury, hematomas, wound infection and lymphatic vessels injury and even, though rarely, by femoral vessels injury and venous thromboembolism.

Moreover a high percentage of recurrence following saphenectomy has been reported reaching 20-50%.

In an attempt to find a less invasive and more effective alternative to saphenectomy an endovenous thermal ablation (EVTA) either by laser or radiofrequency has been introduced.