Journal of Clinical Medicine
Surgery versus Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy for the Treatment of Isolated Anterior Saphenous Vein Incompetence: A Single-Center Randomized Trial
By Philip Kienzl, Hannah Lorenz, S Stolkovich and 3 others.
Abstract
Background
Isolated anterior saphenous vein (ASV) incompetence is a clinically relevant source of symptomatic anterior thigh varicose veins, which may cause pain, heaviness, swelling and serious complication such as superficial vein thrombosis. Therefore, targeted management is often required, yet evidence guiding treatment remains limited. This single-center, randomized trial compared high ligation surgery in combination with phlebectomy and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS).
Methods
Thirty-nine limbs of 35 patients (19 allocated to surgery, 20 to UGFS) were treated and followed up at 1 and 3 years. The primary outcome was ASV-territory recurrence defined as reflux time > 0.5 s along the ASV in the UGFS group or new anterior thigh varicosities connected to the previous saphenofemoral junction in the surgical group at 3 years. Secondary outcomes were the same duplex endpoint at 1 year, recurrence of clinically visible varicose veins, and groin neovascularization at 1 and 3 years.