Retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation of infrageniculate great saphenous vein for persistent venous stasis ulcers
Phlebology: The Journal of Venous Disease
Published online on August 29, 2013
Abstract
To present the use of retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation for ablating the remaining below-knee great saphenous vein in patients with venous stasis ulcers persisting after above-knee great saphenous vein ablation.
This small study includes six patients with persistent C6EpAsPr ulcers following above-knee great saphenous vein ablation with no incompetent perforators. They were treated using retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation approach followed by Unna therapy, followed up on post op days 3 and 30 with ultrasound, and subsequent weekly visits until the wound healed.
Six patients (four men and two women), have average ulcer size of 4.1 cm2. There was no nerve injury or other complications after mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation. These patients had an average of 28 ± 11 days healing time, compared with a mean of five months in traditional method.
Mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation can be safe and effective in the treatment of patients with below-knee great saphenous vein insufficiency with venous ulcers.