title: Efficacy of Preoperative Color Doppler Sonography of Lower Extremity Veins on Postoperative Outcomes in Candidates of Saphenectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Doppler sonography is a type of sonography used for imaging the blood flow in the vessels and heart. This technique uses ultrasound waves with high frequency. In some patient candidates for venous graft, the identification of the suitable vein is not possible with clinical examination.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the effects of preoperative color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins on the postoperative outcomes of saphenectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 100 candidates of an off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) hospitalized in Afshar Hospital in Yazd in 2015. Patients were divided into two groups: 50 patients in the study group and 50 patients in the control group. Patients in the study group underwent color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins using the Medison 8000 Live device. Patients in the control group were assessed preoperatively by routine venous examination without undergoing color Doppler sonography. The prepping and draping methods and also the preoperative antibiotics were the same for both groups. The patients were assessed for wound infection, edema, hematoma, and DVT 2 days, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The length of incision for saphenectomy was 29.20 ± 3.71 cm in the Doppler group and 28.98 ± 3.72 cm in the non-Doppler group with no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.768). The two groups were not significantly different with respect to age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and history of peripheral vessels disease, postoperative infection, postoperative organ edema, postoperative hematoma, and postoperative DVT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative color Doppler sonography of the saphenous vein before saphenectomy has no effect on reducing the postoperative complications, and saphenectomy on the basis of intraoperative examination of the vein course by the surgeon has acceptable consequences.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR) (http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th) with the TCTR ID: TCTR20160708001.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
authors: M.D., Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Rouhollah
authors: R
authors: Zarepur
authors: M.D., Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Kargar
authors: M.D., Cardiac Surgeon, Assistant Professor, Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Hadadzadeh
authors: M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Nooshin
authors: N
authors: Hatamizadeh
authors: M.D., Medical Student, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Ehsan
authors: E
authors: Zarepur
authors: M.D., Cardiac Surgeon, Full Professor, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Seyed Khalil
authors: SK
authors: Forouzannia
authors: Ph.D. Student, Preventive Cardiovascular Research Centre, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Faraji
authors: Ph.D. Student, Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors: Mohammadtaghi
authors: M
authors: Sarebanhassanabadi
keywords: CABG; Doppler sonography; Saphenous vein