title: [Recurrent varicose veins due to neovascularisation: can they be prevented?].
abstract: The authors analyse the problems of recurrent varicose veins on the basis of their own experience. The 5-year incidence of recurrent varicose veins ranges from 25 to 40% after internal saphenectomy. The recurrences should be classified in relation to the site and pathogenetic mechanism. The authors assess the effectiveness of a prevention method for sapheno-femoral stump recurrences. The study population consisted of 80 patients undergoing internal saphenectomy. In 34 (Group A) a traditional safenectomy was performed with short stripping, while in 46 (Group B) closure of the ostium with a flap of pectineal fascia was performed in order to prevent recurrences caused by neovascularisation. In Group A the recurrence rate was 27.1% as against 14.8% in Group B. Recurrences originating from the sapheno-femoral stump are mainly caused not only by an inadequate echo-colordoppler preoperative diagnosis and an inadequate or insufficient crossectomy, but also by neovascularisation. The pectineal flap method in our experience is a very simple, effective and complication-free technique to appreciably reduce recurrent varicose veins originating from the sapheno-femoral stump.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Chirurgia Generale I, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Trapianti d'Organo e Tecnologie Avanzate, Policlinico Universitario, Università degli Studi di Catania.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfo
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brancato
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Privitera
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data