Uğur Özkan1, Çağla Saritüürk. 1. Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey. radugur@yahoo.com
Abstract
PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the degree of improvement in chronic venous disease-related symptoms after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) for saphenous vein insufficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted as a single-center, single-arm prospective cohort study. The series was comprised of 55 limbs of 38 patients (24 [63%] females, 14 [37%] males; mean age, 45 ± 14 years; range, 22-78 years). All patients were clinically evaluated for limb pain, fatigue, heaviness, itchiness, night cramps, burning sensation, swelling, varices, and the presence of venous ulcers. Post-procedure changes in each symptom were categorized as full recovery, improvement, no change, or worsened. RESULTS: Clinical improvement in one or more symptoms was observed in 96% of the limbs, and full recovery from each symptom ranged from 36% to 80%. The best clinical response was observed in night cramps, with full recovery in 80% of the limbs, while the least responsive was pain, with full recovery in 36%. Overall 25% of limbs showed full recovery from all symptoms. The venous clinical severity score was significantly decreased from a median of 5 (range, 1-21) before treatment to a median of 3 (range, 0-12) after treatment (P < 0.001). A significant association was found between full recovery from pain and older age (P = 0.016) and combined ablation of both saphenous veins (P = 0.010), and between full recovery from burning sensation and the presence of new incompetent perforator veins (P = 0.048) on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: EVLA effectively improves clinical symptoms in patients with chronic venous disease. The degree of symptomatic improvement varies for each symptom.
PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the degree of improvement in chronic venous disease-related symptoms after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) for saphenous vein insufficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted as a single-center, single-arm prospective cohort study. The series was comprised of 55 limbs of 38 patients (24 [63%] females, 14 [37%] males; mean age, 45 ± 14 years; range, 22-78 years). All patients were clinically evaluated for limb pain, fatigue, heaviness, itchiness, night cramps, burning sensation, swelling, varices, and the presence of venous ulcers. Post-procedure changes in each symptom were categorized as full recovery, improvement, no change, or worsened. RESULTS: Clinical improvement in one or more symptoms was observed in 96% of the limbs, and full recovery from each symptom ranged from 36% to 80%. The best clinical response was observed in night cramps, with full recovery in 80% of the limbs, while the least responsive was pain, with full recovery in 36%. Overall 25% of limbs showed full recovery from all symptoms. The venous clinical severity score was significantly decreased from a median of 5 (range, 1-21) before treatment to a median of 3 (range, 0-12) after treatment (P < 0.001). A significant association was found between full recovery from pain and older age (P = 0.016) and combined ablation of both saphenous veins (P = 0.010), and between full recovery from burning sensation and the presence of new incompetent perforator veins (P = 0.048) on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION:EVLA effectively improves clinical symptoms in patients with chronic venous disease. The degree of symptomatic improvement varies for each symptom.
Authors: Aykut Recep Aktas; Orhan Celik; Ugur Ozkan; Mustafa Cetin; Mert Koroglu; Sevda Yilmaz; Birsen U Daphan; Levent Oguzkurt Journal: Lasers Med Sci Date: 2015-05-20 Impact factor: 3.161