title: Comparison of Foam Sclerotherapy Alone or Combined With Stripping of the Great Saphenous Vein for Treating Varicose Veins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Varicose veins (VVs) have a substantial impact on patients' quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to retrospectively compare the short-term clinical outcomes of 2 treatment methods for VVs, namely high ligation and stripping (HL/S) of the great saphenous vein combined with foam sclerotherapy (FS), and FS alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally, 180 patients with VVs were included and treated with FS alone or HL/S+FS. Assessments included the first injection efficacy, postoperative status, complications, operative time, and recovery time. A follow-up duration was performed. Patient satisfaction was also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in the complete occlusion rate of the varicose tributaries, as well as in postoperative complications, were found between the treatment groups (p > 0.05). The complete occlusion rates of the varicose tributaries in the FS and HL/S+FS groups were 90% and 90%, respectively. Although mild phlebitis and local pigmentation were found in both groups, they disappeared during the follow-up period. Operative and recovery times were higher in the HL/S+FS group than in the FS group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HL/S+FS and FS alone showed equivalent efficacy for treating patients with VVs. Considering the increased operative and recovery times, FS alone is recommended to treat VVs in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Vascular Surgery, and †Andrology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chang-Jian
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003289:Convalescence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000209:etiology; D008026:Ligation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010689:Phlebitis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000628:therapy*