Abstract: Objective To compare the immediate therapeutic effects of endovenous laser treatment (ELT) and conventional surgery for lower extremity varicosity (LEV). Methods Twenty-two limbs of 20 patients with ELT and 36 limbs of 30 patients with traditional surgery were analyzed in terms of operation time,number of the incision,postoperative pain,complications,postoperative hospital stay and one-year recurrence rate. Results ELT group had shorter operation time,fewer incisions,less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stay than conventional surgery group,but the two groups showed no significant difference in complications and one-year recurrence rate. Conclusions As a safe and effective new treatment of LEV with minimal invasiveness and leaving no scars ELT has the potential to replace conventional surgery and extends the surgical indications for LEV treatment.