Abstract
Background: Varicose veins may present a major health problem nowadays, as it has been detected in about 70% of population worldwide. This created a sense of urgency to develop less invasive techniques to manage such a condition.
Aim of Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of mechano-chemical ablation tech-nique in management of varicose veins using the flebogrif endo-venous occlusion catheter.
Patients and Methods: A total of 30 patients (35 lower limbs) had mechan-ochemical ablation for their varicose veins using the flebogrif endo-venous catheter; 22 for great saphe-nous vein (GSV) incompetence, 9 bilateral GSV, 3 shorts saphenous vein (SSV), one bilateral SSV and 2 combined unilateral great saphenous vein and SSV. Patients came back for follow-up one week, one month and 3 months post proce-dure having ultrasound duplex done. Recanalization, pigmen-tation, intra and post procedural pain were recorded, as post-operative complications.
Results: All 35 procedures were under local anaesthesia. Complete occlusion of the treated vein was initially achieved in all the patients, but at 3 months' follow-up, there was only partial recanalization in 2 from 35 (6%) of the veins. Those two were successfully treated with additional complementary ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy. No significant compli-cations were reported.
Conclusions: Flebogrif is an effective treatment for chronic venous insufficiency of the long and short saphenous veins. Bilateral procedures can be successfully performed and toler-ated as can multiple veins in the same setting and same leg.