Background: Thermal ablation, usually performed with tumescent local anaesthesia (TLA), is the preferred method for varicose veins treatment. Tumescent local anaesthesia is always cited; however, little detail of the procedure is presented in publications. This retrospective audit of clinical tumescent local anaesthesia practice aims to provide detailed information on an important aspect of endovenous practice.
Methods: Patients who underwent three types of endothermal treatment (Venefit, Radiofrequency Induce Thermal Therapy and Endovenous Laser Ablation) to a single saphenous trunk using tumescent local anaesthesia were assessed. Differences in tumescent local anaesthesia volume per unit length of treated vein were assessed for the followings: type of saphenous trunk, length of vein treated, effect of additional phlebectomy and bilateral versus interval unilateral treatment for bilateral veins. Descriptive data are reported as mean and standard deviation, and groups were compared using the one-way ANOVA test.
Results: Between 2008 and 2014, single-saphenous-trunk ambulatory TLA thermal ablation was performed in 979 patients, mean age was 54 years. A total of 1229 limbs had truncal ablations and synchronous phlebectomy was performed in 470 limbs. No tumescent local anaesthesia-related complications occurred. There was no significant difference in standardised tumescent local anaesthesia volume per centimetre (ml) used for the three devices. Tumescent local anaesthesia volume per centimetre (ml) differed significantly between saphenous trunks. On average, a standard 10-12 ml/cm of tumescent local anaesthesia was used for saphenous trunks. Mean total tumescent local anaesthesia volume per patient, when treating the great saphenous vein alone, was 931 ml for bilateral and 425 ml for unilateral treatment.
Conclusion: This report of over 1000 endovenous procedures demonstrates safe performance of laser and radiofrequency treatments using tumescent local anaesthesia. Although no attempt was made to determine minimum volume requirements, a mean tumescent local anaesthesia volume of 10-12 ml/cm administered to the perivenous space provides adequate anaesthesia for truncal saphenous ablation.
Keywords: Anaesthesia; endovenous technique; endovenous thermal ablation.