2020 Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 107-111
Photo-plethysmography (PPG), a venous functional test, was performed before and after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for varicose veins to evaluate improvements in venous function. Venous refilling time (VRT) was measured in 141 limbs of 105 patients who underwent RFA between April 2015 and March 2018 and who underwent PPG up to 12 months after the surgery. Before surgery and at 1, 6 and 12 months after surgery, mean VRT was 13.9±8.2, 24.1±10.0, 24.6±9.7, and 25.1±10.7 sec, respectively, indicating improvements in VRT in the first month and maintaining such improvements until 12 months after surgery (P<0.0001). Patients were also subdivided into groups of those who worked while standing and those who did not, and those who did or did not continue compression therapy at 12 months after surgery, and those who did. And the differences between each of these two groups were compared. However, no significant differences were found during the entire study period. Improvements in venous function by RFA were confirmed as being maintained until 12 months after surgery according to venous functional tests performed by PPG.
