Vnus Medical's ClosureFast RECOVERY Study Published

June 10, 2009—Vnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (San Jose, CA) announced that Jose I. Almeida, MD, et al have published findings from the RECOVERY study showing the Vnus ClosureFast system for radiofrequency (RF) thermal ablation to be "significantly superior" to endovenous lasers (EVLs) for treating venous reflux, the underlying cause of symptomatic varicose veins. The study was published in the Journal of Vascular & Interventional Radiology (2009;20:752–759).

According to the company, the RECOVERY trial was a multicenter, randomized, single-blinded study of 87 vein ablation procedures in 69 patients, comparing the ClosureFast radiofrequency catheter to a 980-nm endovenous laser system. The study found that for all primary endpoints in the trial, the Vnus ClosureFast RF catheter was statistically superior to laser treatment in providing a fast and comfortable recovery for the patient after treatment. Specifically, RF vein ablation using the Vnus ClosureFast catheter was shown to result in less postoperative pain, less bruising, less tenderness, and better reduction of symptoms than the laser as soon as 2 days after treatment, and remaining considerably better for 2 weeks or longer.

In addition, all statistical differences in postprocedural and quality-of-life parameters were superior in the ClosureFast group, and minor complications were five times less prevalent, stated Vnus.

"The study found RF thermal ablation, as performed with the ClosureFast catheter, superior to EVL as measured by a comprehensive array of postprocedural recovery and quality-of-life comparisons between these two minimally invasive techniques for closure of the greater saphenous vein," commented Dr. Almeida.