title: Outpatient surgery of varices of the lower limbs: experience of 2,568 cases at four universities.
abstract: Outpatient surgery of varices of the lower limbs is currently considered a viable alternative to traditional surgery with hospitalization. This paper reports the experience of 4 university groups (Padua, Modena, Verona, Milan), where outpatient treatment has been used since 1987. From June 1987 to June 1992, 2,568 lower limb varices were treated in this way. Different techniques of anaesthesia were used (local infiltration, combined local and general, general, subarachnoid). In all cases, crossectomy was combined with short or long saphenous stripping. There were no intra- or perioperative deaths, and only limited morbidity. Postoperative hospitalization was required in only 2 cases: for hemorrhaging of the inguinal wound in one case, and headache 2 days after spinal anaesthesia in the other. In 2 separate samples of 100 patients, 88 and 89 indicated satisfaction with the surgical treatment. In conclusion, outpatient surgery of varices can be based on the same techniques as in-patients treatment. The risks of surgery and anaesthesia in specialised centres are very limited, with scope for a variety of anaesthetic techniques according to facilities available. Patients satisfaction is high.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baccaglini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castoro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baggio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lipari
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maleti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biasi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ancona
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000601:surgery*