Abstract:Objective：To explore the causes of complications of varicose venous diseases of lower limbs treated by endovenous laser and methods of prevention and treatment.
Methods：Clinical materials of laser treatment of 420 patients (525 limbs) with greater saphenous vein(GSV) varices were studied retrospectively. Of them, 324 cases(422limbs) were simple GSV varicosis, and 96 cases(103 limbs) coexistented primary deep venous insufficiency(PDVI) of lower limbs. There were 263 limbs treated with laser therapy only, 159 limbs treated with laser combined with stab-avulsion of venectasias in the calf , 25 limbs treated with laser and insertion of superficial femoral vein ring and 78 limbs treated with laser and stab-avulsion of venectasias combined with insertion of superficial femoral vein ring.
Results：Complications related to laser therapy occurred in 331 limbs（63.1%）, which consisted of skin petechiae in 268 limbs（51.1%）, saphenous nerve injury in 198 （37.7%）, superficial thrombophlebitis in 33（6.3%）and mild skin burn in 26（5.0%）. There were no patients with infected incisions or deep venous thrombosis of the lower limbs. In this group, 380 patients(90.5%) were followed-up from 3 to 40 months postoperatively. Postoperative recurrence were diagnosed in 27 limbs（6.4%）with simple GSV varicosis and in 8 limbs(7.8%) with PDVI.
Conclusions：The prevention and treatment of the complications caused by laser therapy should be highly kept in mind,so as to express the safe and micro-traumatic features of the endovenous laser for treatment of varicose venous diseases of lower limb.