title: Radiofrequency endovenous obliteration versus stripping of the long saphenous vein in the management of primary varicose veins: 3-year outcome of a randomized study.
abstract: We evaluated the 3-year outcome of a series of patients with primary varicose veins who were randomized to radiofrequency endovenous obliteration vs. stripping of the long saphenous vein (LSV). Twenty-eight patients were included in the study: 15 were randomized to the radiofrequency endovenous obliteration procedure and 13 to LSV stripping. At 3-year follow-up, five patients (33.3%) of the endovenous group had recurrent or residual varices and in three of them a reflux in the thigh veins was detected. None of the primarily occluded LSV segments was recanalized. In the stripping group, three patients (23.1%, p = 0.68) showed varicosities at clinical and duplex examinations. In one patient, a patent duplicate LSV trunk was detected. In the remaining two patients, no reflux in the thigh region was detected. According to the present results, radiofrequency endovenous obliteration of the LSV is associated with somewhat poorer short-term results compared with the stripping operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perälä
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rautio
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biancari
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ohtonen
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiik
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: Tatu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juvonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000628:therapy*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*