ABSTRACT

Spider veins of lower extremity are a very common disease. Conventional treatments by compression stockings and medications offer limited relief and are not curative. Therapeutic options include sclerotherapy, laser systems and surgical procedures.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of long-Pulsed Nd: YAG laser in treatment of spider veins of lower extremity.Fifteen female patients with lower limb spider veins were enrolled in this prospective study.They were treated with long pulsed Nd :Yag  laser  using the following parameters : wavelength 1064 nm, energy: 30-35 J, pulse duration 10 ms, frequency 2Hz ,spot size 3-5 mm.   Topical anesthesia (EMLA) is applied for an hour .The laser was aimed directly and perpendicularly towards the lesion.Almost all patients tolerated the procedure moderately well.For 8 (53.4%) patients there was disappearance of the lesion, and for 7 (46.6) patients there was improvement. In almost all patients, no adverse reactions were observed. Patients did not require any medications and they return to activity post operatively. In conclusion, long pulsed Nd: YAG laser (1064 nm) is an effective and safe treatment option for spider veins of lower limbs.

Keywords: Nd-YAG Laser, spider vein, sclerotherapy