Perioperative quality assessment of varicose vein surgery

Implementation of a varicose vein module added to Swedvasc, the Swedish National Registry for vascular surgery

OBJECTIVES

The addition of a varicose veins (VV) module to the existing Swedish National Registry for Vascular Surgery (Swedvasc) and its impact on quality of care were evaluated.

METHODS

Vascular departments and private VV clinics were invited to enter data from 2016.

RESULTS

Registrations were approximately 10,000 yearly but dropped to 5390 in 2022 when a fee was introduced for private clinics due to reduced funding. 88% more interventions were reported to Swedvasc 2020 than to the National Board of Health and Welfare. Regions differed in interventions per 100,000 inhabitants/year from 21 to 233 and in preoperative CEAP C4-6 from 30.8%-90.4%. Follow-up was 9.4%. These data contributed to the decision to prioritize the patient group for national guidelines and pathways of care, which will be monitored by Swedvasc.

CONCLUSIONS

A national VV registry with high coverage is possible and can contribute to national quality of care. The main challenge is funding.

Offene Varizenchirurgie – wann ambulant, wann stationär?

Hintergrund Die offene Varizenchirurgie kann sowohl in einem ambulanten als auch in einem stationären Setting durchgeführt werden. Aktuelle Leitlinien zur Therapie der Varikose nehmen zu der Frage, welche Patienten ambulant und welche stationäre zu operieren sind, nicht Stellung.

Fragestellung Erarbeitung von Kriterienkatalogen zur Frage einer ambulanten oder stationären Varizenoperation.

Material und Methode PubMed-Recherche zur Fragestellung und basierend auf den Literaturdaten Erarbeitung eines Delphi-Konsensus der Autoren.

Ergebnisse Zur Frage, ob eine Varizenchirurgie ambulant oder stationär durchgeführt werden kann, existieren lediglich 2 monozentrische retrospektive Analysen sowie eine Registerstudie. In diesen Studien werden ambulante Operationen im Wesentlichen bei Patienten mit Normalgewicht und ASA-Stadium 1 durchgeführt. Gut geeignete Lokalbefunde für eine ambulante Operation sind Primäreingriffe und ein geringeres C-Stadium der CEAP-Klassifikation. Für eine stationäre Varizenoperation sprechen ausgedehnte Befunde, bei denen mehr als eine Crosse saniert werden muss, Rezidiveingriffe in der Leiste oder der Kniekehle, vorangegangene thromboembolische Ereignisse, eine erhöhte Blutungsneigung aufgrund monströser Varizen oder einer Antikoagulation, Hautkomplikationen wie ein Ulcus cruris oder eine schwere Stauungsdermatitis bzw. Dermatosklerose sowie ein BMI über 30 bei Crossektomie.

Schlussfolgerungen Basierend auf Literaturdaten und Expertenmeinungen konnten Kriterienkataloge für eine ambulante versus stationäre offene Varizenchirurgie erarbeitet werden.

The importance of antiphospholipid syndrome testing in venous thromboembolism after varicose vein surgery

Anticoagulation treatment after a venous thromboembolism event is usually managed on a case-by-case basis. The risk of thrombosis must be weighed against the risk of bleeding. Identifying patients who could benefit from anticoagulation therapy requires the thromboembolism event to be assessed with respect to its presentation and the severity of the triggering factors. A case report is employed to explain the important aspects of practical approaches to venous thromboembolism events after vein surgery. The Trial on Rivaroxaban in AntiPhospholipid Syndrome (TRAPS) study has prompted new considerations for anticoagulation management. Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome need to be identified early to lower the risk of thromboembolism also during anticoagulation treatment.

Long-term outcome of open surgery in CVI patients concerning postoperative complications, perioperative hemodynamics and clinical efficacy, Part I

BACKGROUND

Chronic venous disease (CVD) is extremely common worldwide. The prevalence is increasing with age and is associated with a reduced quality of life, particularly in relation to pain, physical function and mobility. Symptomatic chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) with venous ulcer at its' endpoint, indicates interventional surgery to cure venous reflux therewith promoting wound healing and preventing recurrence. To our knowledge up to now no coherent study has been undertaken in patients with CVI who underwent an open venous surgery concerning complications, venous hemodynamics and perioperative symptomology in one study population. This was undertaken in our retrospective, single-centre, consecutive case-control study in a single patient population of a university clinic in northern Germany. Part I covers postoperative complications in relation with co-morbidities, co-medication and clinical presentation. Part II will focus on pre- and postoperative hemodynamics and evolution of symptoms.

METHODS

Records of n = 429 (467 extremities) patients from 2009-2013 treated with open surgery were analysed. Number and type of complication were evaluated with regards to demographic parameters, co-existing medical conditions and procedure related aspects. Complications were grouped as no events (NE), neglectable adverse events (NAE), non-neglectable adverse events (NNAE) and severe (life-threatening) adverse events (SAE).

RESULTS

In 467 extremities of 429 patients with CVI 130 (27,84%) postoperative complications were observed after open surgery, thereof 64 (13,7%) NAE, 66 (14,14%) NNAE and 0 SAE. 29 (6,76%) patients developed a postoperative surgical site infection, thereof 4 (0,9%) with consecutive septicaemia. Except one case with nerval lesion and paraesthesia and hypoesthesia not resolving after 12 months all complications resolved within surveillance time span of 12 months. Patients developing NAE had a higher BMI (p = 0.003), were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), and co-morbidities leading to the intake of anti-platelet or anticoagulation drugs (p < 0.001). Metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001) and anti-platelet or anticoagulation (p < 0.001) could be defined as independent risk factors for the development of complications. Patients receiving open surgery of small saphenous veins had 8 times higher risk of calf muscle venous thrombosis (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Patients with a metabolic syndrome or receiving anti-platelet therapy or anticoagulation medication should undergo open venous surgery under hospital conditions with routine postinterventional surveillance visits. Patients undergoing an open surgery of SSV are definite candidates for postoperative subcutaneous heparin thromboprophylaxis. In general stripping below knee increases the risk of postoperative sensory deficit. This resolves in almost all patients within one year.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of endovascular and surgical revascularization for patients with chronic lower extremity venous insufficiency and varicose veins

BACKGROUND

Chronic lower extremity venous disease (LECVD) is twice as prevalent as coronary heart disease, and invasive therapies to treat LECVD accounted for an estimated $290 million in Medicare expenditures in 2015. Despite increasing use of these invasive therapies, their comparative effectiveness is unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of treatments for patients (symptomatic and asymptomatic) with lower extremity varicosities and/or lower extremity chronic venous insufficiency/incompetence/reflux. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant English-language studies published from January 2000 to July 2016. We included comparative randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with >20 patients and observational studies with >500 patients. Short-, intermediate-, and long-term outcomes of placebo, mechanical compression therapy, and invasive therapies (surgical and endovascular) were included. Quality ratings and evidence grading was performed. Random-effects models were used to compute summary estimates of effects.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 57 studies representing 105,878 enrolled patients, including 53 RCTs comprised of 10,034 patients. Among the RCTs, 16 were good quality, 28 were fair quality, and 9 were poor quality. Allocation concealment, double blinding, and reporting bias were inadequately addressed in 25 of 53 (47%), 46 of 53 (87%), and 15 of 53 (28.3%), respectively. Heterogeneity in therapies, populations, and/or outcomes prohibited meta-analysis of comparisons between different endovascular therapies and between endovascular intervention and placebo/compression. Meta-analysis evaluating venous stripping plus ligation (high ligation/stripping) compared with radiofrequency ablation revealed no difference in short-term bleeding (odds ratio [OR]=0.30, 95% CI -0.16 to 5.38, P=.43) or reflux recurrence at 1-2 years (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.37-1.55, P=.44). Meta-analysis evaluating high ligation/stripping versus endovascular laser ablation revealed no difference in long-term symptom score (OR 0.02, 95% CI -0.19 to 0.23, P=.84) or quality of life at 2 years (OR 0.06, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.25, P=.50).

CONCLUSIONS

The paucity of high-quality comparative effectiveness and safety data in LECVD is concerning given the overall rise in endovascular procedures. More high-quality studies are needed to determine comparative effectiveness and guide policy and practice.