Regensburg, Germany — German researchers report that diode laser therapy augmented with indocyanine green (ICG) results in good to excellent clearance of telangiectatic leg veins with no persisting side effects.
Investigators from University Hospital Regensburg assessed the safety and efficacy of ICG-augmented diode laser therapy for the treatment of telangiectatic leg veins in 15 female patients. ICG was administered intravenously and diode laser pulses with different radiant exposures were applied as a single treatment immediately afterward. The patient and a blinded investigator evaluated safety and efficacy at one and three months after treatment. Reference therapy was treatment with pulsed dye laser and diode laser without ICG.
HealthDay News reports that the safety of ICG application and diode laser treatment were rated excellent for all patients, with no persisting side effects. Researchers found clearance to be dose-dependent. Diode laser treatment at radiant exposures between 100 J/cm² and 110 J/cm² resulted in good clearance, which improved to excellent when double pulses were applied. Investigators noted poor to moderate clearance with diode laser therapy without ICG and with pulsed dye laser treatment.
“ICG-augmented diode laser therapy has proved to be a safe and effective treatment option for telangiectatic leg veins,” the authors wrote.
According to HealthDay News, Asclepion provided a MeDioStar diode laser for the study, while Pulsion Medical Systems provided the ICG.
The proof-of-concept study was published online in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
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