Lymphatic complications after varicose veins surgery: risk factors and how to avoid them.
BACKGROUND
Lymphatic complication (LC) after varicose veins (VVs) surgery is an annoying event with a variable frequency in the literature.


METHODS
Retrospective study reviewing all surgeries carried out for VVs from January 2000 to October 2010. Postoperative LC we reported: lymphatic fistula, lymphocele including the minor ones and lymphoedema.


RESULTS
During the period studied, 5407 surgical procedures for VVs were performed in 3407 patients (74.7% women) with a mean age of 53.4 years. A postoperative LC occurred in 118 cases (2.2%): lymphocele on limb in 1.3%, inguinal LC (fistula or lymphocele) in 0.7% and a lymphoedema in 0.2%. The population with a LC was older (59.6 vs. 53.3 years, P < 0.05), had a higher frequency of C4-C6 (22.0% vs. 6.5%, P < 0.05), a higher incidence of obesity (31.4% vs. 5.4%, P < 0.05) and was more often treated by a redo surgery or a crossectomy stripping (48.3% vs. 13.4% and 38.1% vs. 21.8%, respectively, P < 0.05). We have observed a dramatic decrease in incidence of LC after January 2004 (1.3% vs. 5.3%, P < 0.05) corresponding to a new surgical practice for the treatment of VVs: stripping, crossectomy and redo surgery at the groin were less frequent (74.6% vs. 7.7%, 74.6% vs. 0.2% and 11.3% vs. 0.1%, respectively, P < 0.05), while isolated phlebectomy was more often performed during this period (78.4% vs. 8.4%, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
LC after VVs surgery is not rare but frequently limited to lymphocele on limbs. Older age, more advanced clinical stage and obesity were associated with a higher frequency of LC. A mini-invasive and selective surgery has significantly reduced the occurrence of LC.
Riviera Vein Institute, Nice, France. paulpittaluga@hotmail.com
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Chastanet
D000367:Age Factors; D004487:Edema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels; D008210:Lymphocele / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control