Total Endovenous Laser Ablation Multicenter (TOTEM) trial: Early results
Luca Palombi1, Jan Szczepański2, Fabio Martinelli1
1Angiology and Advanced Surgical Phlebology Service, Villa Salus Foundation, Villa Salus Hospital, Venice Mestre, Italy.
Summary
Total Endovenous Laser Ablation (TEVLA) is a safe and effective single-session treatment for venous insufficiency, demonstrating high occlusion rates and minimal complications in a multicenter study.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Procedures
- Phlebology
Background:
- Venous insufficiency affects a significant portion of the population.
- Traditional treatments for venous insufficiency can be invasive.
- Endovenous laser ablation offers a less invasive alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Total Endovenous Laser Ablation (TEVLA).
- To assess TEVLA in a multicenter cohort for treating various venous structures.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study.
- 153 patients with CEAP C2-C6 venous insufficiency.
- Single-session TEVLA treating truncal veins, tributaries, and perforators.
Main Results:
- High occlusion rates: 99.3% at 7 days and 98.3% at 6 months.
- No deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) events.
- Significant improvement in clinical severity scores (rVCSS) and low complication rates.
Conclusions:
- TEVLA is a safe and effective single-step technique for venous insufficiency.
- High occlusion rates and a favorable safety profile were observed.
- Further randomized controlled trials are recommended to confirm findings.