Ultrasound-guided percutaneous coil embolization of incompetent perforating veins: Not effective for treatment of venous ulcers and recurrent varicosities

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided percutaneous c oil embolization of incompetent perforating veins as minimally invasive tre atment for venous ulcers and recurrent varicosities in the lower leg. This could be an alternative to surgical ligation of perforating veins, MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 15 patients (six women, nine men; mean age, 50 ye ars), 18 incompetent perforating veins in the lower leg were treated by ult rasound-guided percutaneous placement of embolization coils. RESULTS: Successful vein occlusion with one or more coils was achieved in 1 2 of the 18 veins (technical success rate, 67%), Clinical symptoms improved in only three of the 15 patients (clinical success rate, 20%). During foll ow-up (2-12 months), recanalization of coil embolized veins occurred in nin e of the 12 initially occluded veins. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous ultrasound-guided coil embolization does not appea r to be as effective as subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery in the tre atment of incompetent perforator veins.