Rb. Galland et al., A SURVEY OF CURRENT ATTITUDES OF BRITISH AND IRISH VASCULAR SURGEONS TO VENOUS SCLEROTHERAPY, European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery, 16(1), 1998, pp. 43-46
Aim: To determine current practice amongst vascular surgeons regarding
venous sclerotherapy. Method: A postal questionnaire was sent to 350
members of the Vascular Surgical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Results: There were 218 replies (62%). Forty surgeons (18.3%) never i
njected varicose veins (VV) although six injected venous flares. Most
surgeons (n = 168, 77.1%) reserved sclerotherapy for residual VV posto
peratively. Primary varicose veins without proximal incompetence were
injected by 152 (69.7%) and recurrent VV without proximal incompetence
by 141 (64.7%). Sixteen surgeons only injected residual postoperative
VV. Few surgeons injected VV in the presence of proximal incompetence
. Where specified, 46% of respondents were injecting fewer VVs than in
previous years. Only 5% were injecting more. By contrast, 44% were in
jecting more venous flares than previously (p<0.001). Eight different
sclerosants were used, the commonest being STD (146 surgeons) and Scle
rovein (33). The median number of patients treated with sclerotherapy
was 11-50 per year compared with 51-150 per year who were operated upo
n. The median time advised for compression was 2 weeks (range - a fc-c
u minutes - 2 months). Treatment was repeated at a median of 4 weeks (
0-6 months). Thirty-two surgeons obtained written consent. All but eig
ht respondents discussed potential complications, the commonest being
staining and ulceration. Forty-six surgeons had patients who had exper
ienced serious complications, the commonest being ulceration. There ru
ns one reported death from a pulmonary embolus. Conclusion: Sclerother
apy is being used less frequently for VV. Most surgeons use if for res
idual VV and for those without proximal incompetence.