Saphenous Vein Trunk Foam Sclerotherapy: Single Center Experience

Abstract

We report the treatment results of foam sclerotherapy alone with polidocanol without ligation for saphenous varicose veins performed at our hospital from 2003 to 2016. The main cases were the patients who did not wish to undergo surgery even if it was considered to be indicated for stripping or ablation. The number of cases was 296 cases, 383 limbs (338 great saphenous veins, 45 small saphenous veins). Surgery was performed later in 28 limbs (7.3%) (4 stripping, 19 EVLA, and 5 RFA) due to recurrence. The period from initial sclerotherapy to revision surgery was one to ten years (median 6 years). Complications such as induration and pigmentation were often observed, however none were serious. Since the method is simple and inexpensive, it is considered that one of the options is to treat saphenous varicose veins with foam sclerothearapy alone at the first time if the patients accept the high recurrence rate.