Varicose veins are a common problem, conventionally treated by an operation. Within the last few years, minimally invasive techniques have been developed as alternatives to surgery in an attempt to reduce morbidity and improve recovery time. Radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser ablation are the most promising of these new techniques. This review article looks at the evidence for these techniques and the clinical experience to date and discusses their role in the future treatment of varicose veins.
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