The surgical cure of primary varicose veins.

A prime requisite of successful varicose vein surgery is a detailed clinical examination. This reveals a new test for short saphenous incompetence and shows that 14 per cent of varices stem from a saphenopopliteal reflux. The intimate details of juxtafemoral and juxtapopliteal ligation are emphasized and the common causes of failure pointed out. The technique of 'scarless' varicose vein surgery is described. A 6-10-year follow-up of some 2000 patients reveals an overall recurrence rate of 7 per cent.