Patent ID: 8409183

Claim:
A method for endovenous ablation of varicose veins in which thermally induced thrombus is reduced, the method comprising the following steps: removing blood from the varicose vein prior to treating the vein with energy using a method selected from the group consisting of elevation, external compression, massage, cooling, tumescent anesthesia, inducing spasms to the leg and suction of the vein; introducing an optical fiber laser deliver device, with optical fiber portion having a diameter between about 50 μm and about 1000 μm and with an energy emitting tip at its distal end, into the varicosed vein to be treated; emitting pulsed, laser energy with sufficient energy to close and destroy varicose veins to the emitting tip of the optical fiber laser delivery device, the pulsed laser energy having a wavelength of between about 1.2 μm and about 1.8 μm and having a pulse length between about 1 μs and about 5000 μs, and being pulsed at the rate of between about 5 Hz and about 1000 Hz and having energy per pulse of between about 1 mJ and about 500 J; and reducing thrombus of coagulated blood which accumulates at the energy emitting tip of the fiber when the fiber is caused to emit energy in the presence of uncoagulated blood.