High intensity focused ultrasound in treating great saphenous vein incompetence: Perioperative and 1-year outcomes

Background To investigate the use of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence. Material and methods Patients with GSV incompetence underwent HIFU. The primary endpoint was the rate of GSV target segment shrinkage or closure after 1 year. Results Out of 188 limbs treated, the GSV treated segment shrinkage/closure rate at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months was 93.3%, 98.2%, 97.6%, and 98.3%, respectively. Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that HIFU holds promise for the treatment of GSV incompetence. Further trials are needed to compare it with other techniques and assess long-term outcomes.