Endovenous Steam Ablation for Chronic Venous Disease

The newest method of thermal ablation is pulsated steam, which works by heating the vein with steam at 120 °C. Its objective is to achieve a safer and easier method of thermal ablation that has fewer side effects. Histologic examination of treated veins showed typical changes of the vein wall, such as disappearance of the endothelial layer, fibrotic thrombosis, and major alterations in collagen fibers in the media. Very few studies have reported on steam ablation yet and this is probably the reason that this technology has not been spread as other thermal and non-thermal techniques have already done.