Why have EVLA at The Whiteley Clinic
1) EVLA equipment and technique
If you have read the last section, you will realise there are many different sorts of EVLA - endovenous laser ablation.
In addition, not only are there many different sorts of equipment - there are also many different techniques of performing EVLA. Even if all the equipment was identical in power, wavelength, ease of use etc. there is still the technique that the doctor uses to take into account.
As we have always said in our lectures when teaching doctors how to perform vein surgery - just because you have a Ferrari, doesn't mean you will be able to drive as well as Michael Schumacher !!!
Therefore, the first advantage of coming to The Whiteley Clinic is that, with our long research record, we have identified the best techniques and made them into a protocol so that ALL of our surgeons perform EVLA the same way - and get the best results that we can.
The Whiteley Clinic is constantly working to find the best equipment for the treatment of veins - including EVLA - and updating the equipment and protocols for our surgeons, to keep our results as good a possible and our patients as happy as possible with their results.
2) Alternatives to EVLA
One of the most important things to consider when choosing where to get your veins done is - what else do they do?
At The Whiteley Clinic, we have one of the largest experiences of endovenous surgery in the world. We introduced endovenous surgery into the UK in March 1999 and continue to have large numbers of patients ever since.
We have continually monitored new techniques and equipment as they become available - and have invented some of our own when needed!! Everything we see that we believe works and has a place in a modern venous practice is brought into our clinic for our patients.
Many surgeons or doctors do not have the resources or numbers of patients that we have - and so learn one or two techniques only and try to make them work on everyone. This approach can be summed up by:
"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail" - (Abraham Maslow)
At The Whiteley Clinic we have multiple alternatives to any one technique - and so we choose the best technique or combination of techniques for the patient we have.
Although many hospitals or surgeons will quote ‘fixed prices’, our research and audit has shown that there are a huge number of different patterns of venous disease that can only be picked up and identified by the Duplex Ultrasound. Each different pattern requires different combinations of techniques to get the best results - therefore just because EVLA is available doesn't mean to say it will be the best technique for YOU.
At The Whiteley Clinic, all of our patients receive a high resolution ultrasound scan of their veins which will then allow our surgeons to choose which combination of techniques will give you the optimal result.
3) Additional veins to treat with EVLA
Research by The Whiteley Clinic presented in 2008 shows that 1 in 3 people need to have additional veins treated with EVLA when they have EVLA treatment.
In other words, 1 in 3 people who need to have their Great Saphenous vein treated with EVLA will also need to have the major side branch, or tributary called the Anterior Accessory Saphenous Vein (used to be called the Lateral Thigh Vein), treated at the same time. Also many people have a second Great Saphenous Vein that also needs treatment (a bifid system or double system). Failure to treat these will cause the veins to quickly come back again.
At The Whiteley Clinic we are used to looking for these variations and we always treat then without any additional cost. Many of these extra veins are small and can be missed by people who have not specialised in venous surgery or who don't have access to the high definition Duplex Ultrasound system that we use.
