What is the difference between EVLA and radial fibre EVLA?

Keywords:EVLA, radial fiber,  Time:28-04-2021

EVLA, or laser treatment of varicose veins, is the gold standard treatment for most patients. It provides a quick, reliable, safe, effective and long-lasting solution to the symptoms and appearance of varicose veins.

Most EVLA is carried out using simple bare laser fibres as originally described by Min et al. This is still highly effective but some patients do experience discomfort usually after about a week. This is not normally severe and rarely prevents normal work or social activities but, in order to minimise such discomfort, new more sophisticated laser fibres have been developed. The commonest of these new fibres is the so-called radial fibre. This emits the laser light in a 360-degree arc around the end of the fibre rather than as a thin beam straight ahead.

There is some evidence that these radial fibres provide a more comfortable recovery than the standard bare fibres. There is no other benefit as the outcomes and safety of bare and radial fibres are otherwise identical. If however you wish to minimise the possibility of having pain after the EVLA treatment then you may want to consider requesting the radial fibre. The downside is that radial fibres are more complex and thus more expensive. A premium of £200 is charged for the use of this fibre.