An innovative minimally invasive procedure has been piloted for the first time at Basildon University Hospital called Endovenous Laser Therapy for Varicose Veins (EVLT). This is used to treat patients with lumpy varicose veins in the legs.
EVLT can be performed using local anaesthetic, normally as a day case admission taking around 30 – 45 minutes per leg and patients should be able to resume their normal activities straight away and return to work the following day.
Mr Edward Loader, from Basildon, was one of the first three patients to be treated by Mr Jay Menon, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, and Dr Anil Madhavan, Interventional Radiologist at Basildon University Hospital using EVLT. He was the perfect candidate for the procedure as he was just recovering from an upper respiratory infection and weighed over 20 stones; he wouldn’t have been able to receive general anesthetic for the traditional procedure. Mr Loader said: “I was very excited at the thought of this procedure taking place while I was awake! I found it very interesting and also educational to watch. I would recommend this process to other patients, I have returned to work and I was very, very well looked after by staff every step of the way during my treatment at Basildon University Hospital.”
Mr Menon explains further: “EVLT is used to treat patients with lumpy varicose veins in the legs. It is a lot less invasive for patients because it is so quick, patients can be treated as day-case procedures and recovery is also remarkably quicker”. Mr Menon has since seen the patients who participated in the pilot and was delighted with their outcomes and to see them back enjoying daily life.
Instead of using open surgery and stripping the varicose vein out, under ultrasound scan a small needle is guided in to the faulty vein and a flexible wire is then passed up into the vein. Local anesthetic is injected around the vein to minimize any discomfort when the laser is turned on. A laser beam is then used to close the vein from the inside. When the vein has sealed up, the laser is removed and a bandage applied to the leg. This process can take place as a day surgery case which means patients do not need to go under general anesthetic. Mr Menon has recommended approval for this technique to be made available to all suitable patients.
