Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial evaluating the feasibility, safety and efficacy of Femoral Nerve Block for analgesia in patients with varicose veins being treated by Endovenous Laser Ablation of Great Saphenous Vein

Varicose veins are the dilated and tortuous veins in the subcutaneous tissue of the leg. It affects more than one-third of general population in their lifetime. Minimally invasive treatment strategy using endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) and/or foam sclerotherapy have replaced open surgery throughout the world. This is because of increased safety, efficacy, faster recovery and better cosmetic results. EVLA is normally performed by using local perivenous tumescent anaesthesia (TA).  The role of TA is to eliminate pain during the EVLA procedure, as well as protect the surrounding tissues from thermal injury due to laser.  However, TA requires multiple punctures along medial aspect of thigh along the course of great saphenous vein (GSV) which may induce pain**.**  The intensity of this pain is ‘‘tolerable’’ for most patients, but it may be a ‘‘bad experience’’ for the others. Also, this pain may be intense if venous spasm occurs during catheterization. Administering femoral nerve block under ultrasound guidance (US-FNB) is an option to reduce this discomfort. Feasibility, pain control efficiency and safety of US-FNB has been established in the past, and few studies have also been done using this analgesia technique for EVLA procedure as well. However, there is lack of a robust randomised-placebo controlled trial evaluating the same. Hence, we intend to do a single-centre double blinded randomised placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of USG guided femoral nerve block for EVLA of GSV.