EVLT is a treatment for varicose veins that’s less painful than open surgery, allowing for a faster recovery and return to normal life. We use a local anaesthetic to perform the procedure, however EVLT can also be performed under general anaesthetic.
The procedure is an outpatient treatment and you'll be able to go home the same day.
Benenden Health members are entitled to £750 off Endovenous Laser Treatment for varicose veins.
Whether you're thinking about treatment or want to know what to expect during your time with us, our regular patient webinars are a great way to find out more.
View our self-pay treatment prices and discounts for Benenden Health members below.
Take advantage of payment plans through our trusted partner, Chrysalis, and spread the cost of your treatment. Fit your repayments into your monthly budget rather than having to find the full cost at the time of your treatment.
Mr Aaron Sweeney, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, answers the most commonly-asked questions about EVLT (12 videos)
I think it's helpful to think of veins like a Christmas tree. You have a main vein that runs up the centre of your leg and you've loads and loads of branches coming in. They can number hundreds.
A varicose vein is one of the smaller veins that's draining your skin and it normally runs from your groin right the way down to your knee. Endovenous laser treatment is where I thread a small laser up the inside of that vein and essentially deliver heat, and that heat destroys the vein.
EVLT is a very safe and effective treatment. It has really superseded the older operation of stripping. We can do it for the most part, under local anaesthetic. Patients walk in and walk out - and that significantly reduces the risk of complications.
Most people are suitable for Endovenous laser treatment. Occasionally people are unsuitable when they've had multiple previous operations, for example, stripping. But in my practice, approximately 95% of people are offered Endovenous laser treatment.
We always perform Endovenous laser treatment in a sterile operating theatre. You would come into that theatre, lie on an operating bed and, after a few moments, I would inject some local anaesthetic in your leg. Subsequently, I thread the small laser up the inside of your vein. And that whole procedure takes somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.
Once it's finished, I would place you in a bandage. That bandage is non-sticky and can be removed very, very easily. And I use it instead of using an uncomfortable compression stocking.
EVLT in itself is not painful, but I have to give some local anaesthetic in order to make that happen. It usually involves some small injections of local anaesthetic on the inside of your thigh. I think most people think of that as similar to a trip to the dentist.
Well, most people following the procedure are relieved that it wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be. They normally walk outside and are completely pain free. However, the next day it does feel like you've pulled a muscle. Most people can walk around the house with ease or could walk the dog or even walk their kids to school.
I usually suggest that they take a painkiller of some sort and that normally allows full movement. However, it does feel a little uncomfortable and I think it takes about two weeks before you forget that I've done your operation.
In terms of taking time off work following Endovenous laser treatment, I think most people could work from home the following day, but it does feel uncomfortable - rather like a pulled muscle. So, if you have a long commute, many people take a little longer than that off.
Following Endovenous laser treatment, you will normally see results very quickly. Any symptoms you had before the procedure usually subside really quickly. I think it takes between two and three weeks for discomfort to disappear. But I think it takes between six and eight weeks for them to appear cosmetically ok.
Most people do not require a follow up post EVLT. I'm very careful about asking you why you're having your vein operation. And I'm very clear about what your outcome will be. In general, it takes about six weeks to get the full effect following Endovenous Laser Treatment. And usually, people are pain free or symptom free and don't usually require a long trip back to see me again.
With regards to exercise and attending the gym following Endovenous laser treatment, most people can, for example, walk the dog the following day. But I think it takes a little longer before you can do any energetic exercise. Most people will play golf after a week or so. But running and cycling normally takes about two weeks.
You can fly whenever you like following EVLT. However, I do think it's a little uncomfortable, so I wouldn't fly for the first week or so. People are sometimes worried that flying is associated with deep vein thrombosis, but that is not really the case.
It is very unlikely that your varicose veins will come back following Endovenous laser treatment. Once I treat the vein with the laser, it essentially has disappeared. However, people sometimes want to know how likely they are to come back at any stage with another varicose vein.
The answer to that is for about 10% of people, it will come back at some stage in the rest of their life with another vein. It's nearly always on the other leg.
Consultant Vascular Surgeon
Mr Sweeney has performed over 10,000 minimally invasive venous procedures including EVLT, foam sclerotherapy and thread vein treatment.
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