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Background: Introduction of the endovenous laser technique for treatment of varicose veins triggered a efforts to identify an ideal wavelength, capable of producing the highest possible selective damage with the greatest safety and lowest incidence of adverse effects.

Objectives: Assess medium to long term results of 1940nm diode laser treatment of varicose veins, correlating parameters used with durability of the anatomic outcome.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency at clinical stages CEAP C2 to C6 who underwent thermoablative treatment of trunk varicose veins using a 1940nm wavelength laser with a radial emission optical fiber, from April 2012 to July 2015. A systematic review was conducted of electronic medical records to obtain demographic and clinical data, including postoperative follow-up duplex ultrasound findings.

Results: The average age of the 41-patient sample was 53.3 years and 37 patients were women (90.2%). The average follow-up time was 803 days. The average caliber of the treated veins was 7.8 mm. The immediate success rate was 100% with an average LEED of 45.3 J/cm. The late success rate was 95.1%, and two recanalizations were observed around 12 months after ablation. There was no recanalization in veins treated with a LEED greater than 30 J/cm.

Conclusions: The 1940nm laser proved to be safe and effective in venous segments up to 10 mm in diameter, with the parameters proposed, over medium to long term time follow-up.