Adoption of endovenous laser treatment as the primary treatment modality for varicose veins: the Auckland City Hospital experience.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of adopting endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) as the primary treatment modality for varicose veins at Auckland City Hospital (Auckland, New Zealand).

METHODS: The outcomes of 354 consecutive EVLT procedures performed between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed. Data was collected from a prospectively maintained procedural database and by retrospective chart review.

RESULTS: Of the 319 patients who had an ultrasound, at 1 month post-procedure there was a saphenous vein occlusion rate of 96%. Side effects were minimal with no cases of DVT or skin burns and one case of self-limiting neuralgia. The procedure was well tolerated with a median pain score of 3. Since the adoption of EVLT there has been a large increase in the number of patients treated for varicose veins (28 in 2007 compared to 176 in 2013).

CONCLUSIONS: EVLT is a safe and effective treatment for varicose veins and its adoption has allowed a large increase in the number of varicose vein patients treated at Auckland City Hospital.