Endovenous thermal ablation GSV

Backgroun: Minimal invasive alternatives in the treatment of varicose veins with saphenous-femoral junction(SFJ) and great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence have been tried over the years to increase patient comfort, reduce cost and risk. Despite a rapid spread of these technique, very little is known about the long-term results about endovascular obliteration GSV are still missing. Aim of study: We compare three - year success rates between patients undergoing vein stripping with high ligation and patients undergoing great saphenous vein (GSV) obliteration with radiofrequency ablation without adjunctive high ligation (Closure procedure-RFA) and patients undergoing great saphenous vein with endovenous laser obliteration (ELVeS). Methods: All the treated patients were symptomatic; the most common symptom was visible varicose veins, In total we evaluated on 78 patients undergoing great saphenous vein obliteration with ELVT, 16 patients undergoing great saphenous vein obliteration with RFA(VNUS Clousure) and control group 78 limbs patients undergoing vein stripping with high ligation. Patient were controlled by duplex scan within the time span of 6 and 12 weeks and 20-36 months after operation. Results: In all patients endovenous thermal ablation GVS was technically successful above 97% occlusion. Complications were minor and included transient visual disturbance due to foam sclerotherapy Time to return to normal activities and pain was less in the RFA group than ELVeS. In the absence of significant complications, there are significant advantages to endovascular obliteration of the GSV compared with conventional stripping.