Treatment of leg veins: A comparison of laser therapy with a noncoherent, multiwave light source

Various lasers (CO/sub 2/ laser, Nd:YAG, argon, tunable dye, and flash-lamp pulsed dye lasers) have been used for treatment of leg veins with minimal benefit and various adverse sequelae. A phototherapy device producing pulsed (100 /spl mu/sec to 20 msec) incoherent light as a continuous spectrum 550 nm to 1200 nm has been developed to target both oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and to reach larger and deep vessels.<>