title: Late follow-up of saphenofemoral junction ligation combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy in patients with venous ulcers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venous ulcers are a frequent complication of venous disease, and a variety of healing methods have been proposed for these lesions. The objective of this study was to provide late follow-up data for a group of patients with venous ulcers who presented with advanced chronic venous insufficiency and were treated with saphenofemoral junction ligation combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study of 35 patients. Patients were classified as CEAP6 and were followed during a 45- to 68-month period. The following variables were assessed: wound healing, ultrasound findings, and venous clinical severity scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following ultrasound findings were observed: total and partial recanalization in 19 patients (treatment failure) and occlusion in 13 patients (treatment success). Two patients were lost to follow-up, and one patient died. Ulcers healed between 30 and 70 days and remained closed for a mean period of 48 months (Kaplan-Meyer method). The analysis of clinical severity scores (pain, edema, pigmentation, lipodermatosclerosis, and inflammation) revealed significant improvement when comparing pre- and post-treatment results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary findings suggest that saphenofemoral junction ligation combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is a feasible and simple palliative treatment method for this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil. drmarcondes@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marcondes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Salustiano P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: de Araujo
authors.forename: Matheus Fidélis
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D012597:Sclerosing Solutions