Post-Operative Pain Study

According to a new study, patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation for their varicose veins said they had less post-operative pain compared with those who had endovenous laser ablation. But both groups experienced about the same quality of life and clinical improvements at six weeks after the procedures.

Popular Treatments

Experts in vascular surgery from London's Imperial College did a randomized study with 131 participants divided into two groups. One group, consisting of 64 participants, received endovenous laser ablation 980nm (EVLA) while the 67 participants of the second group were treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with VNUS® ClosureFAST™. The RFA group reported less pain and used fewer amounts of analgesics along with a speedier recovery. But the two groups experienced the same clinical and quality of life improvements after 6 weeks. Both treatments, RFA and EVLA, are very popular for treating varicose veins.  The study was published in the June 2010 issue of British Journal of Surgery.

Common Condition

Lead author of the study, Professor Alun Davies from London's Imperial College says that varicose veins are a common condition that develops when blood flow within the legs is blocked, causing the blood to collect within the veins. Davies said that up to 30% of all adults in the UK will experience varicose veins at one point or another.

All of the participants in the study had their procedures performed under general anesthesia. The surgeries were performed between July 2008 and July 2009, by one of three surgeons with experience in both of these techniques. The average age of the patients was 49 and it was determined that there were no significant factors differentiating the two groups such as body mass index (BMI) or disease pattern.

The 82 women and 42 men were subsequently requested to fill in a questionnaire based on a visual analogue scale of zero to 100, for reporting their pain levels. The patients were requested to note, if any, their use of analgesics.

Davies says that both RFA and EVLA are considered minimally invasive procedures and that their development has made revolutionary changes in treating varicosities. These procedures offer fewer complications, less post-surgical pain, and speedier recovery times. The use of these treatments has undergone a steady increase since 2001 when Britain's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence—which acts to advise the National Health Service—gave their approval for the use of these treatments.