An Improvement in Endoluminal Laser Ablation with the New 'Cool Touch' Laser

One of the few drawbacks to the endoluminal laser ablation that has largely replaced the traditional procedure of stripping has been that the lasers generated a tremendous amount of heat and vein 'burn through' occurred on occasion. This resulted in increased bruising, pain, and a longer recovery.

In 2004, Cool Touch and New Star Laser Manufacturing came out with the CoolTouch CTEV laser designed for endovenous ablation of large varicosities and saphenous veins. This was an additional product to their previous CoolTouch Skin lasers. The product was publicized as a much less painful, quicker, and successful vein ablation therapy than was currently offered. Studies and comparisons have been conducted and he CoolTouch CTEV does seem to have less post-procedure pain than previous laser wavelengths. There also seems to be less vein wall 'burn through'. Closure success Rates however are about the same as with the previous laser and radiofrequency ablations at about 94%. That means that around 6 in 100 patients may have to have additional treatment to close the vein that was treated with CoolTouch. Still this is very good and really no other therapy offers a better outcome. Many vein clinics are now switching from the older laser generators to the new CoolTouch CTEV system.

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