title: Endovenous laser ablation and sclerotherapy for incompetent vein of Giacomini.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for Giacomini vein insufficiency. This is the largest cohort of patients treated for Giacomini vein insufficiency with endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a three-year period, 23 females and nine males (age range, 19-67 years) treated for Giacomini vein insufficiency with or without saphenous vein insufficiency were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis of venous insufficiency was made by color Doppler ultrasonography. Symptomatic insufficiency of the Giacomini vein or the saphenous veins was treated with endovenous laser ablation. Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy was used for tortuous incompetent Giacomini veins. The venous disease was categorized according to the clinical, etiological, anatomical, and pathological classification, and clinical severity was graded with the venous clinical severity score. Follow-up included clinical examination and color Doppler ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine limbs in 32 patients were treated (25 endovenous laser ablation and seven ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy). All procedures were technically successful. One patient in the ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy group had a recurrence with successful repeated treatment. Recurrence was not seen in the endovenous laser ablation group. No complications were observed. All patients had resolution and improvement in 100% of their symptoms at 12 months of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Giacomini vein insufficiency is mostly seen with insufficiency of the great saphenous vein and can be effectively treated with endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mozaik Hospital, Hatay, Turkey igmansur@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Guzelmansur
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oguzkurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koca
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gedikoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ozkan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Giacomini vein; Varicose veins; endovenous laser ablation