Endovenous radiofrequency ablation of superficial and perforator veins.

Radiofrequency ablation of superficial and perforator veins for venous insufficiency has emerged as a leading alternative to traditional vein stripping operations. This percutaneous technique can be performed in less than an hour using local anesthetic or sedation. The VNUS Closure catheters (VNUS Medical Technologies, San Jose, California) work by resistive heating in the vein wall that is constantly monitored through a feedback loop to the VNUS Closure generator. Side effects are less than with other endovenous ablation techniques and patients resume normal activity immediately. The new ClosureFAST catheter is an important advancement that combines the speed of endovenous laser ablation with the expected fewer side effects of radiofrequency ablation.