In a major breakthrough for phlebology, The Whiteley Clinic‘s research team, including Anjali Bachetta, Simon Cheung, Emma R. Moore, Danny Nguyen, Melissa J. Kiely, and Prof. Mark S. Whiteley, has unveiled groundbreaking findings that could reshape how incompetent truncal veins are treated.
Their study, published in the prestigious Sage Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Discipline, zeroes in on endovenous microwave ablation (EMWA) and its potential to rival endovenous laser ablation (EVLA). Early observations hinted at EMWA’s need for higher power, prompting the team to define specific parameters using a validated porcine liver model.
The research methodology involved EVLA treatments at different power levels (6 W, 8 W, and 10 W) and pullback speeds (6 to 9 s/cm), producing Linear Endovenous Energy Densities (LEEDs) from 36 to 90 J/cm. EMWA was then applied with powers of 35-75 W and pullback speeds of 4-9 s/cm, resulting in LEEDs between 140 and 675 J/cm. Two blinded observers meticulously analyzed ablation tracts from both methods, focusing on thermal spread and carbonization.
The results are nothing short of groundbreaking. The team successfully identified EMWA parameters that mirror tissue ablation seen with commonly used EVLA parameters in the porcine liver model. To maintain standard pullback speeds, EMWA required powers of 35-75 W, with mean EMWA LEEDs 3.9 – 5.8 times higher than EVLA LEEDs. Importantly, the study pointed out that quicker pullback speeds correlated with a need for a higher multiple of EMWA LEED to achieve an equivalent therapeutic effect.
These findings open the door to a new era in phlebology. While clinical validation is pending, the study’s reliance on a validated porcine liver model bolsters its potential implications for endovenous thermal ablation. Given EMWA’s higher power levels, the study suggests that EMWA LEEDs may need to be approximately 4-6 times higher than EVLA LEEDs to achieve the same thermal effects on tissues.
Read the full research article published in the Sage Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Discipline Here.
The Whiteley Clinic’s research could mark a turning point in vein ablation techniques, offering a promising alternative for clinicians and patients alike. Stay tuned for further updates as this groundbreaking research progresses.
