Variability in the management of superficial venous thrombophlebitis among phlebologists and vascular surgeons.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to compare management patterns of patients with superficial venous thrombophlebitis (SVT) among phlebologists and vascular surgeons.


METHODS
A survey was provided to practitioners who attended the American Venous Forum meeting in 2011. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, unpaired t tests, and Friedman's test for correlation.


RESULTS
There were 354 US or Canadian health care providers of whom 169 were phlebologists and 185 were vascular surgeons. There was a significant different in anticoagulation administration and duration (P = .034, P = .032, respectively). Friedman's test for correlation between multiple surgical treatments showed no correlation between surgical treatments tested with all treatments having an equal distribution in our data. Follow-up differed between groups with vascular surgeons following up with imaging more than phlebologists (P = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that there is no consensus between or among phlebologists or vascular surgeons as to the surgical management of superficial venous thrombophlebitis, duration of follow-up, and anticoagulation parameters.
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Anahita
A
Dua
Bhavin
B
Patel
Jennifer
J
Heller
SreyRam
S
Kuy
Joseph
J
DuBose
Jeffrey S
JS
Tomasek
Eric Mowatt
EM
Larssen
Sapan S
SS
Desai
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002170:Canada; D032921:Consensus; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
D000925:Anticoagulants
phlebologists; superficial venous thrombophlebitis; vascular surgeons