title: Vein marking through ultrasound coupling gel.
abstract: It is now common practice to mark the course of the long saphenous vein by duplex scanning prior to in situ or reversed vein bypass grafting. This poses the problem of how best to mark its course durably in the presence of the ultrasound coupling gel on the skin. Blind to two observers, 11 commonly available marking pens were applied to the skin through ultrasound coupling gel, the gel was removed and the skin cleaned using a spirit-based antiseptic solution. The observers then rated the pens in order of performance. We recommend "Pilot Super Color Marker", "Artline 70" and "Edding 3020 Surgical Skin Marker" for preoperative vein mapping. These pens allow rapid marking of the saphenous or other veins through ultrasound coupling gel at the time of duplex scanning, and the marks persist after surgical preparation of the skin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, U.K.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Leopold
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery