My name is Dr. Thomas Wright. I am a board-certified phlebologist, a certified vascular sonographer, and the medical director of Laser Lipo and Vein Center. Here are some questions I have been asked about endovenous laser ablations.

Q: I've heard that endovenous laser treatments actually remove or destroy the saphenous vein in the leg. Is this true, and will I still get enough blood circulation to the legs if this large vessel is removed?
A:Yes, Endovenous Laser ablation destroys the underlying cause of varicose veins and venous insufficiency. The saphenous vein that is leaking blood the wrong direction causes symptoms and varicose veins by causing pooling of blood. You have a network of veins in your legs and by closing down the leaking veins(s), you actually improve venous circulation.


Q:The idea of a laser in my leg sounds a little scary. Is there a risk of getting burned during the procedure?
A: There is a small risk of getting burned, however using tumescent anesthesia reduces the risk. This anesthesia is a mixture of salt water and numbing medicine that surrounds the entire length of the vein. This mixture absorbs the stray of heat and protects the surrounding soft tissues.


Q: I have both spider veins and varicose veins. Will endovenous laser ablation treat both of these problems?
A: Laser Ablation treats a leading and prominent cause of varicose and spider veins. However 80% of the time some sclerotherapy injections will be needed to "clean up" the remaining veins that are not reduced by the laser treatment.


Q: I heard that spider veins cause leg ulcers and skin cancer. Is this true?
A: Spider veins do not lead to skin cancer. Spider veins are one sign of venous insufficiency and that can lead to leg ulcers. However spider veins themselves do not turn into leg ulcers.


Q: Are the problem veins removed after ELA or are they just left there? Is this bad for the body to have dead tissue laying around?
A: No, Endovenous Laser Ablation does not remove veins. The cells of the veins or tissue are replaced by healing tissue. Kind of like a scratch, after a couple months you can't even tell where the scratch was after the healing process.

I hope these questions were helpful!