title: Prospective trial comparing bilateral and unilateral varicose vein surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study compared bilateral and unilateral varicose vein surgery in primary varicosis of the long or short saphenous vein with respect to blood loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective trial assessed postoperative pain, analgesic consumption, blood loss, return to physical activity and work, cosmetic result, complications, hospitalization, patient satisfaction, and hospital cost in 73 consecutive patients undergoing unilateral ( n=40) or bilateral ( n=33) varicose vein surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in postoperative pain, postoperative analgesic consumption immediately postoperatively and after 8 h, median postoperative stay, return to work and physical activity, or cosmetic result. All patients but one were either satisfied or very satisfied 6 weeks postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients undergoing a bilateral stripping operation did not differ from those undergoing unilateral operation. Therefore we recommend bilateral operation when indicated.
authors.affiliation: Second Surgical Department, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Operative Laparoscopy, General Hospital, 4020, Linz, Austria. andreas.shamiyeh@aon.at
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamiyeh
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schrenk
authors.forename: Wolfgang Ulf
authors.initials: WU
authors.lastname: Wayand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000601:surgery*