Cosmetic leg veins: evaluation using duplex venous imaging.
The records of 305 consecutive patients who had presented with cosmetic symptoms related to varicose and/or spider veins over a 12-month period were studied. Following clinical assessment, 250 (82%) patients were referred for duplex venous imaging. A total of 500 lower limbs were evaluated; 236 (47%) were documented to have incompetence in the superficial venous system (long or short saphenous veins). Only 6 (1%) limbs had deep venous incompetence and 45 (9%) limbs were found to have perforator incompetence. Short saphenous vein incompetence was found in 59 (12%) limbs. In the long saphenous vein there was a consistent pattern of an increasing incidence of incompetence from the saphenofemoral junction down to the below-knee segment. The duplex imaging findings were applied to determine the optimal treatment, ie, whether surgery, sclerotherapy, or a combination of both would provide the best short- and long-term results. The possible etiology and pathophysiology of spider and varicose veins are discussed in relation to these results.
Thibault
P
P
Newcastle Laser Center, Australia.
Bray
A
A
Wlodarczyk
J
J
Lewis
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000473:pathology; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
D012597:Sclerosing Solutions