VENOUS LIPOSCLEROSIS AND ULCERS - VALUE O F ERGO-STRIPPING

Varicose veins stripping is often a difficult procedure when lipoderma tosclerosis or ulcers are present, because malleolar incision is impos sible. On the contrary, cryo-stripping is performed by a single incisi on of the groin or the popliteal fossa. A cryo-probe is inserted into the vein lumen, after ligating and interrupting the sapheno-femoral or popliteal junction. The lower saphenous extremity is frozen. The vein is broken and returned inside-out by removing the cryo-probe upwards. Upon 3 811 legs operated on from 1988 to 1994, there were 265 liposcl erosis and 114 ulcers. Deep venous insufficiency was associated 43 tim es. In less than three months, all but six ulcers were healed. These s ix patients suffered from post phlebitic syndrom. Cryo-stripping is an efficient method in the treatment of unhealing infected ulcers or sev ere venous lipodermatosclerosis.