Thermal ablation of the veins

A state of the art alternative to the traditional stripping of varicose veins

It is performed as a “walk in - walk out” procedure under local anaesthetic alone

Under local anaesthetic and using ultrasound to identify the vein requiring treatment. The vein is cannulated and the catheter is inserted into the vein and positioned carefully under direct vision

Local anaesthetic is infiltrated around the vein to protect surrounding tissue, ensure good contact with the catheter and provide pain relief

The catheter is powered with either Radiofrequency or Laser and delivers heat (thermal energy) to the vein wall. As this thermal energy is delivered to the vein wall, the vein shrinks and is sealed shut

Following the treatment a leg is bandaged up. This bandage can be removed after 24 hours and is replaced with a compression stocking which should be worn for 2 weeks

Patients can resume normal daily activities with a day of the procedure

What are the benefits?
It is minimally invasive
It has been associated with less pain compared to traditional vein stripping
It is carried out as a day case under local anaesthetic
It is faster to carry out than most other varicose vein procedures
Patients can resume normal activities within 1-2 days and typically return to work much sooner
81% of patients returned to normal activities within 1 day compared with 47% of vein stripping patients

An information leaflet on thermal ablation of varicose veins is available here