By Katherine Kozlowski, Medical Author and contributor to Vein News and VeinsVeinsVeins.com
Researchers from Milan, Italy completed a retrospective analysis of patients with symptomatic venous insufficiency of the small saphenous vein.
METHODS:
Apruzzi et al compared the outcomes of patients treated with mechanochemical ablation (MOCA) versus ligation and stripping (OS) of the small saphenous vein.
60 limbs (73.3%F:26.7%M) were treated with MOCA.
58 limbs (63.8%F:36.2%M) were treated with OS.
Treatments were done between 2015 and 2019.
RESULTS:
Rates of recurrence of reflux in the small saphenous vein were 7.5% for MOCA and 5.7% for the OS treatment.
Patients in the MOCA group reported less pain the day after treatment and earlier return to work.
Leg parasthesia and dysesthesia (burning, tingling, stinging, other cutaneous conditions) was found in 2 patients from the OS group.
CONCLUSION:
Both mechanochemical ablation as well as ligation and stripping are safe, effective techniques to treat symptomatic SSV insufficiency with MOCA allowing patients to return to work earlier and have less post-operative pain.
Reference:
Apruzzi L, Bilman V, Ardita V et al. Comparison of mechanochemical ablation versus the ligation and stripping for the treatment of incompetent small saphenous vein. Phlebology 2021; 10:02683555211045191.