Results of Long Saphenous Vein Stripping M H Kam, S G Tan
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Original Article Singapore Med J 2003 Vol 44(12) : 639-642 Results of Long Saphenous Vein Stripping M H Kam, S G Tan ABSTRACT in several prospective studies(4). High ligation of the sapheno-femoral junction, stripping of the thigh Objective: To audit retrospectively all long segment of the long saphenous vein and avulsion of saphenous vein stripping performed or supervised varicosities is the standard procedure to date. Studies intra-operatively by a single surgeon over a have shown, too, that there are differences in results seven-year period. depending on the surgeon’s experience(5), and few Patients: One hundred and twenty-four patients studies have tried to minimise this variable. (156 limbs) operated primarily in standard This study seeks to determine, retrospectively, surgeon-supervised operations, were audited. the recurrence rate for patients who underwent Methods: All patients were questioned via stripping of the long saphenous vein for varicosities. telephone interviews, and those with symptoms or Each operation was performed or supervised intra- recurrent varicosities were recalled for clinical operatively by a single surgeon, to minimise inter- review and investigations by the surgeon. operator variability. Results: Eighty-seven cases presented with lower PATIENTS AND METHODS limb pain, 36 with eczema and 27 with ulcer. Two hundred and fifty-three patients underwent Eighty-one percent of operations were performed surgery for varicose veins, performed or supervised for symptomatic varicose veins and 19% were by a single consultant vascular surgeon, from January done for cosmesis. There were 153 limbs with 1993 to December 1999. Of these, only the records of varicosities, 121 of these had documented long 222 were available for review. The rest were no longer saphenous vein reflux preoperatively. One hundred located in the hospital medical records office. Thirty and sixteen limbs resolved post-operatively, five patients were excluded from the study as they had did not resolve, and four recurred. Incompetent previous varicose vein operations by other surgeons. perforators and short saphenous veins were Sixty-six patients were lost to follow-up and two died the commonest causes of non-resolution and soon after the operation from unrelated causes. Thus, recurrence. Complications, including five cases of 156 lower limbs of 124 patients were finally included saphenous nerve paraesthesias, were temporary in our cohort. and met with full resolution eventually. The patients had a mean age of 48.7 years Conclusion: A 96% success rate is possible after (Std Deviation +/- 12.3 years) and 64 % of them were high tie, stripping of the long saphenous vein with female. Pre-operative assessment was performed by Department of General Surgery multiple avulsions of varicosities. Recurrence is Duplex scans or bedside Doppler by the consultant Singapore General surgeon. A total of 121 limbs were thus diagnosed Hospital 3% over the period of follow-up. Outram Road pre-operatively with long saphenous reflux as the Singapore 169608 Keywords: varicose veins, varicosities, long cause of varicosities. These were selected for subgroup saphenous vein, short saphenous vein, venous M H Kam, MBBS, analysis of recurrence of varicosities. MRCS (Edin), reflux, vein stripping MMed (Surgery) Every one of the standardised operations was Registrar Singapore Med J 2003 Vol 44(12):639-642 performed or supervised intra-operatively by the S G Tan, MBBS, FRCS (Glas), FAMS single surgeon-in-charge. The refluxing veins were Senior Consultant INTRODUCTION marked on the affected leg pre-operatively and general Correspondence to: Varicose veins are a commonly encountered problem anaesthesia was administered to all. Patients were placed Mr Tan Seck Guan Tel: (65) 6321 4051 in daily surgical practice. It has been shown that in the Trendelenburg position. Care was taken in the Fax: (65) 6220 9323 stripping of the long saphenous vein reduces the rate dissection, identification, isolation and subsequent Email: gsutsg@ sgh.com.sg of subsequent recurrence(1-3). This has been borne out ligation of every tributary at the sapheno-femoral Singapore Med J 2003 Vol 44(12) : 640 Table 1. Unresolved varicosities. S/N Refluxing veins on Non-operative therapy Operative therapy Final outcome post-op Duplex U/S Patient 1 (R leg) SSV, PV, ICP Pt refused Pt refused Refused treatment. (L leg) SFV, ICP Small below-knee varicosities. Patient 2 (R leg) PV, ICP GPS and IS Pt refused Improved. (L leg) SFV, PV, ICP Refused subfascial ligation Patient 3 Below-knee LSV, SFV, PV GPS Stripping of Varicosities resolved below-knee LSV Below-knee LSV - long saphenous vein SFV - superficial femoral vein SSV - short saphenous vein PV - popliteal vein ICP - incompetent perforators GPS - Graduated pressure stockings IS - Injection sclerotherapy junction, including a high saphenous ligation of the Fig. 1 Presenting Symptoms. long saphenous vein. Particular attention was paid to 200 this step of the operation as recurrence can occur if no. with symptoms 153 any tributaries are missed. Stripping was carried out 150 with the introduction of the Codman@ disposable vein stripper through a separate incision below the knee. 100 87 Stab avulsions of the varicosities in the leg were carried 50 out with miniature mosquito arteries. The entire leg 36 27 19 was then bandaged for 24 hours and ambulation 6 4 4 0 commenced in less than 24 hours post-operatively. Pain Swelling Ulcer Varicose Eczema Throm- Cellulitis Bleeding veins bophlebitis varicosities Prophylaxis for possible deep venous thrombosis was Note: Forty-one patients had more than one presenting symptom. therefore unnecessary. Tubigrip stockings were worn for two weeks post-operatively. All patients in our cohort were undergoing varicose eczema (Fig. 1). Forty-one patients had more than one vein surgery for the first time. They were all reviewed symptom at presentation. Few patients presented one month post-operatively, to document resolution with thrombophlebitis, cellulitis or bleeding. of the presenting problems. Subsequent follow-up Varicosities were the commonest presenting was carried out by personal telephone interviews symptom. Of these 153 limbs, 121 had pre-operative with the patients from July 2000 to October 2000. Duplex scans at the Vascular Laboratory or Doppler Standardised questions were put forth to the patients. scans personally performed by the vascular surgeon, All were asked for the presence or absence of aching which documented long saphenous vein reflux as the pain, swelling in the legs, ulcers, or varicosities. Those cause of varicosities. Such documented proof was with symptoms were recalled for review by the unavailable for the remaining 32 limbs. These 121 limbs authors. Patients with symptoms attributable to were selected for subgroup analysis of recurrence after varicose veins underwent a duplex scan to identify long saphenous vein stripping for varicosities. the incompetent vessel. The median time to interview There were five limbs (three patients) with unresolved was four years (one to seven years). varicosities at six months post-operatively. Patients 1 and 2 had pre-operative Duplex scans and Patient 3 RESULTS had pre-operative Doppler. All were subsequently The majority (153 of 156 limbs) of our patients investigated with post-operative Duplex scans (Table I). presented with varicosities. Of these, 29 (19%) were The remaining 116 limbs were free of varicosities at asymptomatic varicose veins and the operations clinic review of up to six months. However, four of were performed for cosmesis. The remaining 81% these 116 limbs (three patients) later presented with had operations done for symptomatic varicose veins. recurrent varicosities over a variable period of 12 - 15 These included 87 legs presenting with pain and months after the initial operation. These, too, were 19 who had swelling. There were 27 lower limb investigated with duplex ultrasound scanning ulcers at the time of presentation and 36 legs with (Table II). 641 : 2003 Vol 44(12) Singapore Med J Table II. Recurrent varicosities. S/No Time of Onset Refluxing veins Non-operative Operative Final Outcome on Duplex U/S Treatment Treatment Patient 1 12 months SFV Nil Nil Small varicosities. Not keen for follow-up Patient 2 14 months SSV, ICP GPS and IS only Nil Not keen on stripping Patient 3 (R) 15 months Pt refused GPS Nil Improved. Duplex U/S Small below-knee varicosities. (L) 15 months GPS SFV - superficial femoral vein SSV - short saphenous vein ICP - incompetent perforators IS - Injection sclerotherapy GPS - Graduated pressure stockings U/S - Ultrasound Fig. 2 Absence of Varicosities Post-up (Kapler-Meier). no permanent post-operative sequelae. As seen in Table III, the complication rate was between 3-7%. 97 s ie it s 96 DISCUSSION o ic r The aim of this study was to review the results of a a v 95 f single-surgeon supervised varicose vein operation, o e c namely, the high saphenous ligation, long saphenous n 94 e s b vein stripping with multiple stab avulsions, in an Asian a e 93 g population. This has become the standard of care in a t n e 92 our institution and the results of this study strongly c r suggest a high level of patient satisfaction with Pe 91 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 the procedure. Number of years The overwhelming majority of operations were performed for symptomatic disease while only Table III. Complications. 19% had the operation purely for cosmesis. Of the symptomatic patients, it appears that operations done Complications No. of cases % age of all limbs operated for pain or swelling due to varicose veins and those 1. Wound Infections 09 5.8% with thrombophlebitis, cellulitis or bleeding were 2. Bruising 10 6.4% beneficial as there were no recurrent symptoms. 3. Stitch sinus 08 5.1% Majority of our Asian patients seem to seek treatment only when varicosities are present (153/156 4. Paraesthesia 05 3.2% limbs). This allowed us to focus our subgroup analysis of outcome on those with documented pre-operative Thus, a patient presenting with varicosities will long saphenous reflux (121 limbs).