title: Does cryostripping add anything to the treatment of the ascending thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the differences of outcome between cryostripping and conservative therapy in the treatment of superficial vein thrombosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed between the October of 2001 and the October of 2014. In all, 246 cases were eligible for the study. High ligation, cryostripping and local thrombectomy was carried out on 94 patients with thrombophlebitis of the proximal part of the great saphenous vein. Thromboembolic events, the presence of residual varices and time for recovery were compared to 152 cases treated conservatively because of superficial vein thrombosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thromboembolic events were found without significant difference (mean ± SD for surgery: 1.11 ± 0.60 and conservative therapy: 1.11 ± 0.55; p = 0.988) in each group. The presence of residual varices (mean ± SD for surgery: 1.03 ± 0.52 and conservative therapy: 1.42 ± 0.99; p = 0.001) and the time for recovery (mean ± SD for surgery: 15 ± 10.50 and conservative therapy: 26 ± 12.32; p < 0.001) were more favourable in the cryostripping group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis confirmed that cryostripping does not result in a lower risk for thromboembolic complications due to superficial vein thrombosis but can be an alternative method to treat the ascending thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein because it has some advantages over conservative treatment on the short term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanizsai Dorottya Hospital, Hungary balint_istvan_bence@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Balint
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanizsai Dorottya Hospital, Hungary.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farics
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanizsai Dorottya Hospital, Hungary.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manfai
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanizsai Dorottya Hospital, Hungary.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szekely
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Pecs, Hungary.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menyhei
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanizsai Dorottya Hospital, Hungary.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vizsy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017131:Thrombectomy; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Superficial thrombophlebitis; cryostripping; great saphenous vein; superficial vein thrombosis