Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) and saphenous veins stripping in the treatment of great saphenous vein incompetence.
Methods: Eighty cases (80 limbs) with great incompetent saphenous vein were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: EVLT group and stripping group. The patients in the EVLT group underwent EVLT and those in the stripping group underwent upper ligation and stripping of great saphenous vein. The duration of operation, blood losing, complications, pain grade, and hospitalization time were compared. All cases were followed up for 6 months and 12 months using Doppler sonography and air Plethysmography.
Results: The blood losing (P < 0.01), hospitalization time (P < 0.05) and pain grade (P < 0.05) in the EVLT group were all significantly less than those in the stripping group, while the operation duration and complication were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). All patients in both groups got improvements of venous volume (P < 0.05), Venous Filling Index (P < 0.01), and residual Venous Fraction (P < 0.01), yet there were no statistical differences between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Endovenous laser therapy is a safe, effective, minimal invasive procedure for the patients with great saphenous vein incompetence. Its short-time efficiency is similar to that of the traditional upper ligation and laceration of greater saphenous vein.