SUPERFICIAL FEMORAL VEIN VALVE REPAIR WITH LIMITED ANTERIOR PLICATION

Objective: To evaluate the effects after 3 years of a new surgical tec hnique, limited anterior plication (LAP) of the superficial femoral ve in. Design: Patients with venous hypertension resulting from deep and superficial venous incompetence were randomized into two treatment gro ups. Setting: Angiology and Vascular Surgery, Pierangeli Clinic, Pesca ra, and Cardiovascular Institute, Chieti University, Italy. Patients: Both groups were treated with superficial vein surgery. Group 2 was al so treated with LAP. Interventions: Valvuloplasty of the superficial f emoral vein was performed with plication of the anterior vein wall aft er limited dissection of the vein. Main outcome measures: During a 3-y ear follow-up results were evaluated with colour duplex and ambulatory venous pressure (AVP) measurements. Endpoints were AVP, refilling tim e (RT), number of incompetent venous sites, presence/absence of the re flux at the superficial femoral vein and the diameter of the vein. Res ults: No complications were observed. All femoral veins treated with L AP were competent at 36 months. Significantly lower AVP and longer RT were observed in the LAP group. The number of incompetent venous sites was lower in both groups. The average diameter of the vein was higher in Group 1. Conclusions: In selected subjects - moderate deep venous incompetence, functional cusps, incompetence mainly due to relative en largement of the vein - LAP may be an alternative to external valvulop lasty.