Good post-EVLA care can prevent complications

Endovenous laser ablation, or EVLA, is a minimally invasive treatment used to address specific large varicose veins in the legs. It is considered the gold standard in treatment of venous symptoms, and has largely replaced previous, more invasive standards of care, such as vein stripping. 

EVLA has opened the door for many patients with venous disorders to eliminate symptoms and improve their appearance with minimal time investment and minimal pain, but there are some things to be aware of after EVLA treatment.

As the leg heals, there may be bruising and swelling of the treated area, however, both are self-limited and usually resolve within the first two weeks after the EVLA procedure. 

Phlebitis is another common adverse complication -- one that commonly occurs with any IV stick, or even spontaneously from varicose veins. It is more common with EVLA because with this procedure, we are intentionally "irritating" the vein. The national incidence for resulting phlebitis is recorded at ~30%, however, at my office, we instruct patients who experience any post-procedure pain to use elevation, heat and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, essentially treating pain prophylactically (as a preventative measure). Thus, we tend to have a much lower incidence of post-procedure phlebitis at VHC.

We also guide our patients in their post-EVLA care so that they can experience effective healing and a quick recovery.

If you'd like to learn more about EVLA and other vein treatments, contact us. We're happy to answer your questions or schedule an evaluation of your vein health.

Preventing phlebitis

In our last post, we explained phlebitis, when a vein in the superficial vein system becomes inflamed or swollen. In this post we talk about prevention.

Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen advises that all the things that prevent DVT (deep vein thrombosis) also keep phlebitis at bay:

If you’re interested in learning more about the topic of phlebitis, you can read about it in our current issue of Vein Health News.

Do you have other questions? Give us a call, or email us, at the Vein Healthcare Center.

What is phlebitis?

Phlebitis happens when a vein in the superficial vein system becomes inflamed and swollen. (It is also referred to as superficial phlebitis.) Spontaneous phlebitis happens when there is a sudden onset of vein inflammation.

Three out of 10 patients may develop spontaneous phlebitis after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) therapy, but it is very preventable, especially if patients follow the post-procedure guidelines closely.

Post-operative requirements include wearing prescribed graduated compression stockings and walking at least 30 minutes a day. If a patient does experience pain or swelling, he or she should apply heat to the area (NEVER ice), elevate the legs, and take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

If phlebitis does occur and is not treated in its early stages, thrombophlebitis, or the formation of a blood clot associated with phlebitis, can develop. It is important to note that both phlebitis and thrombophlebitis are common conditions that both occur in the superficial vein system, not the deep vein system. (A blood clot in the deep vein system is called a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.)

In our next post we will talk about how to prevent phlebitis. Contact us at the Vein Healthcare Center if you have any questions about phlebitis or would like to schedule an appointment.