Four-Year Follow-up on Endovascular Radiofrequency Obliteration of Great Saphenous Reflux

• Published in: Dermatologic surgery 2005-02, Vol.31 (2), p.129-134
• Main Authors: MERCHANT, ROBERT F, PICHOT, OLIVIER, MYERS, KENNETH A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Catheter Ablation - statistics & numerical data; Dermatology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Registries; Saphenous Vein - diagnostic imaging; Saphenous Vein - surgery; Skin plastic surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; Venous Insufficiency - diagnostic imaging; Venous Insufficiency - epidemiology; Venous Insufficiency - etiology; Venous Insufficiency - pathology; Venous Insufficiency - surgery; Victoria - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1076-0512; 1524-4725
• DOI: 10.1097/00042728-200502000-00002

BACKGROUNDEndovascular radiofrequency obliteration has been used since 1998 as an alternative to conventional vein stripping surgery for elimination of saphenous vein insufficiency. OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the long-term efficacy of this treatment modality. METHODSData were prospectively collected in a multicenter ongoing registry. Only great saphenous vein above-knee treatments were included in this study. Eight hundred ninety patients (1,078 limbs) were treated prior to November 2003 at 32 centers. Clinical and duplex ultrasound follow-up was performed at 1 week, 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 4 years. RESULTSAmong 1,078 limbs treated, 858 were available for follow-up within 1 week, 446 at 6 months, 384 at 1 year, 210 at 2 years, 114 at 3 years, and 98 at 4 years. The vein occlusion rates were 91.0%, 88.8%, 86.2%, 84.2%, and 88.8%, respectively; the reflux-free rates were 91.0%, 89.3%, 86.2%, 86.0%, and 85.7%, respectively; and the varicose vein recurrence rates were 7.2%, 13.5%, 17.1%, 14.0%, and 21.4%, respectively, at each follow-up time point at 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 4 years. Patient symptom improvement persisted over 4 years. CONCLUSIONSEndovascular temperature-controlled radiofrequency obliteration of saphenous vein reflux exhibits an enduring treatment efficacy clinically, anatomically, and hemodynamically up to 4 years following treatment.