Project description:AIM:To assess the feasibility and technical success of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) of recurrent varicose veins arising from the former sapheno-femoral junction (SFJ). METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed all EVLA procedures treated in our institution by one surgeon between March 2019 and April 2020 and selected all consecutive cases with SFJ recurrence occuring after surgical high ligation and stripping or endovenous thermal ablation for incompetence of the great saphenous vein (GSV) in superficial venous insufficiency. The feasibility, technical success as determined by duplex ultrasound on the postoperative visit, complications and rate of endothermal heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) were recorded. A subgroup definition was performed based on sonographic morphology of the recurrence and resulting strategy of ablation. RESULTS:Thirty-five limbs with SFJ recurrence in 34 patients were treated with EVLA in order to shut down the highest refluxing point. In 22 interventions, it was required to switch off a short stump or a neovascularization by direct puncture (Subgroup 1). In 13 treatments, the presence of residual GSV segments, or persistent, varicose transformed major tributaries like the anterior accessory great saphenous vein, enabled cannulation and advancing the laser fiber from distal to the former SFJ (Subgroup 2). The EVLA procedures could be successfully carried out in all 35 cases. There were no major complications, no thromboembolism or EHIT, and no local groin complications. In one case, the patient developed a phlebitic response that required temporary medication. Technical success was achieved with 34/35 treatments (97.1%). When comparing the subgroups, the morphological pattern of the SFJ recurrence and the resulting technique of puncture, cannulation and ablation did not influence the result. CONCLUSIONS:The results of this case series suggest that SFJ recurrences can also be successfully treated in situations where there are tortuous or short stumps that require direct puncture and ablation.
Project description:BackgroundIliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) is an underlying cause of varicose vein (VV) recurrence after venous surgery. However, the management of recurrent varicose veins (RVVs) combined with IVCS has rarely been reported. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of a one-stop procedure to correct outflow obstruction and superficial reflux for patients with RVVs and IVCS.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted of 102 consecutive patients diagnosed with RVVs. Computed tomography venography (CTV) was performed to confirm IVCS. The cases were divided into 2 groups: the IRVVs group, including patients with RVVs and IVCS (n=48), and the RVVs group, including patients with RVVs only (n=54). The characteristics, vein reflux, and clinical, etiological, anatomical, and pathophysiological (CEAP) distribution were investigated. Then, the IRVVs group patients who underwent endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) (n=39) were divided into a further 2 groups: the EVLA + S group (n=19), who received EVLA and stenting of iliac vein, and the EVLA group (n=20), who received EVLA treatment alone. The great/small saphenous vein (GSV/SSV) trunk occlusion, VV recurrence, visual analogue scale (VAS), and venous clinical severity score (VCSS) were investigated.ResultsThe prevalence rate of femoral vein reflux was 81.2% in IRVVs group and 50% in RVVs group (P<0.05). In the IRVVs group, 72.9% of patients manifested as CEAP clinical class >3, which was higher than that in RVVs group (48.1%) (P<0.05). The 12-month GSV/SSV occlusion rate in the EVLA + S and EVLA groups were 94.7% and 90.0%, respectively. Totals of 9 patients in EVLA + S group and 6 patients in EVLA group had active venous ulcers, and the ulcer healing time in EVLA + S group was significantly shorter (27.22±7.12 vs. 46.67±9.83 days, P<0.05). The reductions in the VAS and VCSS values between baseline, 1 month, and 12 months in the EVLA + S group were more obvious than those in EVLA group (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe one-stop combination treatment of iliac venous stenting and EVLA in patients with RVVs and IVCS is safe and effective and provides prominent symptom relief, improved quality of life, and a more satisfactory ulcer healing than EVLA alone.
Project description:The aim of the present study was to perform a literature review about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of varicose veins (VV) within the occupational medicine setting. I reviewed scientific articles, books, master's and doctoral dissertations and synthesized the results of quantitative and qualitative studies. I further retrieved information from Brazilian federal government occupational health websites. The time frame considered was the period from 2004 through 2018. VV are abnormally dilated, twisted and congested veins caused by prolonged peripheral venous hypertension and chronic venous insufficiency. VV most commonly involve the lower limbs in association with static posture and continuous contraction which exhaust the muscles, especially among individuals who remain standing over long periods of time. VV are associated with risk factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle and hormones. Symptoms include feelings of tiredness, pain and swelling. When untreated VV might result in venous ulcers. Occupational physicians should promote changes in the workers' lifestyle, particularly as concerns physical activity (stretching and walking), local massage and elevating the lower limbs - feet about 15 cm above the heart level, and prescribe compression stockings or bandages, and medications such as diosmin, calcium dobesilate, rutosides and horse chestnut extract.
Project description:BackgroundVarious procedures for the treatment of varicose veins have been shown to have long-term effectiveness, but research has yet to identify the most effective procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term efficacy of different procedures based on Bayesian network meta-analysis and to rank therapeutic options for clinical decision-making.MethodsGlobally recognized databases, namely, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central, were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Quantitative pooled estimation of successful treatment rate (STR) and recurrence rate (RR) was performed to assess the long-term efficacy of each procedure with more than a 1-year follow-up. The surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities of the P values regarding STR and RR were calculated to rank various procedures. Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were utilized for the recommendation of evidence from pairwise direct comparisons.ResultsA total of 39 RCTs encompassing a total of 6917 limbs were eligible and provided relative raw data. After quantitative analysis, the CHIVA procedure was determined to have the best long-term efficacy, as it had the highest STR (SUCRA, 0.37). Additionally, the results revealed that CHIVA possessed the highest probability of achieving the lowest long-term RR (SUCRA, 0.61). Moreover, the sensitivity analysis with inconsistency approach clarified the reliability of the main results, and the evidence of most direct comparisons was ranked as high or moderate.ConclusionCHIVA seemed to have superior clinical benefits on long-term efficacy for treating varicose veins. However, the conclusion still needs additional trials for supporting evidence.
Project description:Introduction ?One-third of adults in the United States and United Kingdom suffer from varicose veins. n -butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue is a novel endovascular, nontumescent, nonthermal ablation technique for treatment of this condition. It has proved effective in multiple studies since its first use in 2013. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy of NBCA in ablating primary truncal varicose veins and eliminating reflux compared with existing endovascular techniques. Secondary outcomes include complications and quality of life. Methods ?PRISMA was used as a guide and studies were screened for risk of bias and methodological quality. Subjects had to be ?18 years of age and followed-up posttreatment with color Duplex ultrasound (DUS). Eligibility criteria included saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) or saphenopopliteal junction (SPJ) incompetence with reflux down truncal veins lasting >0.5?seconds on DUS interrogation and a Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological classification of venous disorders ranging between C1 and C6. Results ?Out of 2,910 patients (3,220 veins) in 17 studies, 1,981 were administered NBCA, 445 radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and 484 endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) with mean procedure times of 25.7, 23.2, and 28.7?minutes, respectively. Mean recruitment period was 9 months (1-36 months) and followed-up for an average of 12.3 months (1-36 months). The majority were C2 to C3. Two-year occlusion rates were 93.7, 90.9, and 91.5% for NBCA, RFA, and EVLA, respectively. NBCA-treated patients experienced the least complications, with bruising, phlebitis, and pain being the most prevalent. Quality of life improved equally in all three modalities. Conclusion ?NBCA is simple to administer, safe, and effective even without compression stockings. Further studies are required to assess longer-term benefit and the effect of anticoagulation on vein obliteration.
Project description:tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) with a size of 15-50 nt are derived from mature or precursor tRNAs and associated with a variety of pathological conditions. However, the roles of tRFs in varicose veins (VVs) are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the tRFs involved in VVs and predict their potential biological functions. We first performed small RNA-seq to investigate the expression profiles of tRFs in vascular tissue of VVs patients and healthy controls. In total, 13,789 tRFs were obtained, accounting for 4 % of the total small RNA. Moreover, 45 tRFs were remarkably changed, of which 14 were up-regulated and 31 were down-regulated. Gene Ontology analysis showed that the target genes of these differently expressed tRFs are mainly involved in transcriptional functions, DNA-template and nervous system development. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that target genes of these differently expressed tRFs were significantly enriched the wnt signaling pathway and the calcium signaling pathway which regulate local hypoxia and degradation of extracellular matrix(ECM) processes, which play an important role in the development of VVs. Furthermore, differentially expressed mRNA-tRF-non coding RNA regulatory network was constructed which revealed that tRFs may play a central role in this interaction network and correlate with many mRNAs and ncRNAs. Additionally, two up-regulated tRFs (tRF-36-F900BY4D84KRIME and tRF-23-87R8WP9IY) and one down-regulated tRFs (tRF-40-86J8WPMN1E8Y7Z2R)) were identified and verified. These results show that tRFs are aberrantly expressed in vascular tissue of patients with VVs and might play important roles in the development of VVs.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Varicose veins are a common problem with no approved medical therapies. Although it is believed that varicose vein pathogenesis is multifactorial, there is limited understanding of the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to their formation. Large-scale studies of risk factors for varicose veins may highlight important aspects of pathophysiology and identify groups at increased risk for disease. METHODS:We applied machine learning to agnostically search for risk factors of varicose veins in 493?519 individuals in the UK Biobank. Predictors were further studied with univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses (2441 incident events). A genome-wide association study of varicose veins was also performed among 337?536 unrelated individuals (9577 cases) of white British descent, followed by expression quantitative loci and pathway analyses. Because height emerged as a new candidate risk factor, we performed mendelian randomization analyses to assess a potential causal role for height in varicose vein development. RESULTS:Machine learning confirmed several known (age, sex, obesity, pregnancy, history of deep vein thrombosis) and identified several new risk factors for varicose vein disease, including height. After adjustment for traditional risk factors in Cox regression, greater height remained independently associated with varicose veins (hazard ratio for upper versus lower quartile, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.51-2.01; P<0.0001). A genome-wide association study identified 30 new genome-wide significant loci, identifying pathways involved in vascular development and skeletal/limb biology. Mendelian randomization analysis provided evidence that increased height is causally related to varicose veins (inverse-variance weighted: odds ratio, 1.26; P=2.07×10-16). CONCLUSIONS:Using data from nearly a half-million individuals, we present a comprehensive genetic and epidemiological study of varicose veins. We identified novel clinical and genetic risk factors that provide pathophysiological insights and could help future improvements of treatment of varicose vein disease.
Project description:The aim of this study was to assess behavioural recovery from the patient's perspective as a prespecified secondary outcome in a multicentre parallel-group randomized clinical trial comparing ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS), endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) and surgery for the treatment of primary varicose veins.Participants were recruited from 11 UK sites as part of the CLASS trial, a randomized trial of UGFS, EVLA or surgery for varicose veins. Patients were followed up 6 weeks after treatment and asked to complete the Behavioural Recovery After treatment for Varicose Veins (BRAVVO) questionnaire. This is a 15-item instrument that covers eight activity behaviours (tasks or actions an individual is capable of doing in an idealized situation) and seven participation behaviours (what the individual does in an everyday, real-world situation) that were identified to be important from the patient's perspective.A total of 798 participants were recruited. Both UGFS and EVLA resulted in a significantly quicker recovery compared with surgery for 13 of the 15 behaviours assessed. UGFS was superior to EVLA in terms of return to full-time work (hazard ratio 1·43, 95 per cent c.i. 1·11 to 1·85), looking after children (1·45, 1·04 to 2·02) and walks of short (1·48, 1·19 to 1·84) and longer (1·32, 1·05 to 1·66) duration.Both UGFS and EVLA resulted in more rapid recovery than surgery, and UGFS was superior to EVLA for one-quarter of the behaviours assessed. The BRAVVO questionnaire has the potential to provide important meaningful information to patients about their early recovery and what they may expect to be able to achieve after treatment.