The LADS Technique for Endovenous Saphenous Ablation Presented at VEITHsymposium

Varicose veins, those painfully familiar and unsightly signs of aging, are being combated by creative and powerful techniques that permit vascular surgeons to combine superior results with the ease and convenience of in-office treatment. Today at the 33rd Annual VEITHsymposium™, Dr. Jose I. Almeida of the Miami Vein Center and Voluntary Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine will discuss how he and his team have developed and refined several exciting modalities to defeat varicose veins using ultrasound mapping and laser therapy, most notably LADS, or Laser Assisted Distal Stripping.

NEW YORK (PRWEB) November 15, 2006 -- Varicose veins, those painfully familiar and unsightly signs of aging, are being combated by creative and powerful techniques that permit vascular surgeons to combine superior results with the ease and convenience of in-office treatment. Today at the 33rd Annual VEITHsymposium™, Dr. Jose I. Almeida of the Miami Vein Center and Voluntary Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine will discuss how he and his team have developed and refined several exciting modalities to defeat varicose veins using ultrasound mapping and laser therapy, most notably LADS, or Laser Assisted Distal Stripping.

Varicose veins are formed when blood, impeded by defective valves from moving from the superficial to the deep veins of the leg, pools in the surface veins. Over time, this causes them to become sharply raised, itchy, painful (especially at night), and often discolored a shiny, brownish-blue color. More commonly found in women than in men, these defective valves can be caused by heredity, obesity, frequent and prolonged standing, pregnancy, injury, or even simple aging. The classic treatment of open surgery for varicose veins is aggressively invasive, requiring general anesthetic, hospitalization, and an inconvenient disruption of normal activities for patients.

LADS is a fresh approach that directly treats the complex architecture of veins that run parallel to the great saphenous vein, the large superficial vein of the leg and thigh. One such structure, the superficial accessory saphenous vein (SASV), presents a surgical challenge because it often adheres to the skin as it courses down the thigh and leg. The Miami Vein Center team uses LADS to deal with this specific anatomy. This hybrid technique combines ablation of the proximal thigh Great saphenous vein (GSV) using endovenous laser treatment (EVLT). EVLT works by heating the inside of the malfunctioning GSV at the point where it meets the SASV by guiding a very thin fiber laser through an endovenous sheath. This painlessly seals the vein shut. The distal SASV is then removed by a procedure called invagination stripping, where veins are sutured to the existing endovenous sheath.

"With the LADS procedure we remove a troublesome faulty vein adherent to the skin and obviate the problem of laser-induced-staining of the skin. It is simple and gives a satisfactory cosmetic result," said Dr. Almeida.

LADS and other creative surgical approaches enable patients to regain the smooth legs of their youth without suffering the invasive, painful procedures, risky anesthetics, or long recoveries of years past.

About VEITHsymposium™

Now entering its fourth decade, VEITHsymposium™ provides vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, interventional cardiologists and other vascular specialists with a unique and exciting format to learn the most current information about what is new and important in the treatment of vascular disease. The 5-day event features 300 rapid-fire presentations from world-renowned vascular specialists with emphasis on the latest advances, changing concepts in diagnosis and management, pressing controversies and new techniques.

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