Revised venous clinical severity score: a facile measurement of outcomes in venous disease.

Outcome assessment is an important criterion for the objective determination of the risks and benefits of a given procedure. The choice of an assessment instrument is critical in order to generate meaningful and relevant data. Assessment instruments are platforms for comparison and stratification of information that provide a common ground and unified language for discussions on disease processes and therapies. Like many complex conditions, venous disease has benefited from the institution of several assessment instruments designed to clarify elements of the disease process. Among these is the venous clinical severity score (VCSS), which has proved to be a valuable tool for evaluating changes in condition over time with or without intervention. The VCSS has recently undergone a revision to increase its sensitivity and value in interpreting the language of venous disease.