CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF VENOUS REFLUX DETECTED BY DUPLEX SCANNING

Duplex scanning was used to determine the presence of valvular incompe tence in the major veins of 274 legs with venous disease. Using multiv ariate logistic regression analysis the significance of valvular funct ion in each vein in relation to the clinical condition of the limb was calculated. Superficial femoral, profunda femoris and short saphenous vein function did not correlate with the clinic state of the limb; co mmon femoral, popliteal and long saphenous vein function did. A table was constructed from the statistical model such that the relative cont ribution made by each vein could be estimated for limbs with different patterns of venous insufficiency. This model should now be tested in a prospective study and, if validated, could be used to improve decisi on making in venous surgery.