Great saphenous vein radiofrequency ablation versus standard stripping in the management of primary varicose veins-a randomized clinical trial

[Foam sclerotherapy. Uses and indications in dermatology and phlebology]

Foam sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive, effective technique for the treatment of varicoses up though venous malformations. This efficient therapy can be easily integrated in daily clinical practice and shows only minor side effects. It provides an alternative to invasive therapies like vein stripping, endovenous laser therapy or endovenous radiofrequency ablation, but without the need for anesthesia. The treatment can be performed in an outpatient setting and the patient is able to return quickly to everyday life.

Simple external manual manoeuvres to pass the radiofrequency catheter through a bending segment of a saphenous vein

Smooth passage of a catheter through a varicose saphenous vein during radiofrequency ablation may prove a challenging task. Various types of venous bending in the transverse and sagittal planes and their combinations within the saphenous compartment may be pretty well appreciated by ultrasound examination. Several simple manual manoeuvres like stretching, pushing or lifting along with limb re-positioning may often help the surgeon to advance the catheter through the segments by temporarily changing their special configuration. In this way the number of patients otherwise considered unsuitable for endovascular catheter procedures like radiofrequency or laser ablation may be considerably reduced.

Superficial venous disease treatment--is there still a role for open surgery in 2011?

The treatment of superficial venous disease (commonly described as varicose veins by the general public) has remained relatively constant over the past 100 years until the refinements of endovenous treatments such as sclerotherapy and more recently, the development of endovenous ablation. This has radically changed the treatment profile of this disease with treatments easily administered and well tolerated even in those patients who would not be considered fit for open surgery previously. With the advent of day surgery and improved general and local anaesthetic techniques, venous surgery has forged a path towards the end goal of outpatient treatment with no requirement for inpatient stay. The end goal of all superficial venous surgery is an improvement in quality of life, and with such new treatments reducing the impact of the actual intervention, such gains are easier to make. This review assesses and presents the current literature describing superficial venous disease treatments covering all treatment modalities. With endovenous treatment, true ambulatory treatment is available, providing high quality treatment at speed and convenience for patients.