Preface

In phlebology, an updated work able to bring “new light” to bear on vascular lasers and on the aptness and safety of the phototransdermic and endoluminal procedures was necessary.
The authors, relying on their plurennial experience and passion for such technologies, have summed both history and recent knowledge of the electromagnetic radiations whether coherent or incoherent, so as to offer us a complete work with extensive iconography and bibliography.
The description of the elementary concepts of the interaction between tissues and lasers emitting in the visible and infrared spectrum clarifies the selective absorption of these lights by targets with complementary colours; such selective absorption makes these instruments unequalled in the high precision surgery.
The schematic statement of the vessels’ features such as hemodynamics, thickness, structure and diameter demonstrates why the shrinkage of the muscular and connective fibers of the vessel wall depends on the wavelengths and fluences applied and at last it points out the limits and hazards of the endoluminal procedures.
The illustration of skin ulcers scanner laser decontamination which acts respecting the principles of the selective photothermolysis or photodynamic therapy underlines the rapidity of procedures and skin recovery.
If such methodologies are combined with the endocoagulation of the vessels of the periulcer
area they halve healing times reducing medications costs and improving the quality
of life for patients.
I would like to wish this handbook to be an international success for its valid
contents so as to spread the experiences in selective and mini-invasive
procedures in a surgical discipline like phlebology which is often accused
of employing century-old and not updated procedures.

Dino De Anna M.D.

Specialist in General and Vascular Surgery
Professor Postgraduate School of Vascular Surgery University of Udine, Italy