Doppler testing as an important conservation measure in the treatment of varicose veins.
While it is rational to ligate incompetent proximal saphenous valves, when treating varicose veins, it is hard to justify ligation if they are competent. Accurate diagnosis of competence by clinical tests have proved less than satisfactory. Doppler testing, with a simple blood flow indicator, is suggested as a sound basis on which to make decisions regarding 'selective ligations' of incompetent proximal valves.
D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D012212:Rheology; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy