The development of phlebology in Hungary.

Angiology as an independent discipline together with phlebology started in Hungary with the work of Károly Bugár-Mészáros. Major chapters can be read on venous diseases in his book published in 1944. A milestone in pharmacological phlebology was the discovery of the flavonoids by Albert Szentgyörgyi. After World War II Geza de Takats played an important role in the development of modern venous surgery in the USA. On the initiative of Lajos Soltész, the Phlebological Section of the Hungarian Society of Angiology was founded in 1979, chaired by György Radó. András Hetényi, Tamás Sándor and Viktória Várkonyi assisted the organisation of the section. In the 1980s centers were formed throughout the country where up-to-date phlebological treatments were performed. International relationships were built mainly with Austrian and German experts such as Robert May and Oswald Petter. From 1987, under the direction of György Acsády a large scale phlebological activity developed in the country. The section organised courses and training sessions, Hungarian phlebologists presented papers at international conferences, foreign experts visited Hungary. After György Vas's monograph, Attila Nemes and Imre Bihari wrote books on venous diseases. The 1st European Congress of the Union Internationale de Phlébologie, with 1000 participants including the leading phlebologists of the world was held in Budapest in 1993. Érbetegségek (Vascular Diseases) the official journal of the Hungarian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery was published in 1994 and The Club of Sclerotherapists was formed in 1997. At the regular meetings of the Club, which is now called Hungarian Venous Forum, the lectures cover every aspect of venous diseases and overlapping disciplines as well. Éva Meskó and Zsolt Pécsvárady have played outstanding roles in the organisation of internal medical phlebology. Emil Monos, the investigator of physiological control of haemodynamics of the venous system is a well-known scientist all over the world. Other presidents of the Phlebological Section were András Hetényi who investigated the pathomechanism of chronic venous insufficiency, Tamás Sándor a specialist of the prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism and Gábor Menyhei an expert of venous operations including subfascial endoscopic perforant surgery. A leading person of the phlebology in the country is Imre Bihari who is an expert of sclerotisation, editor of the journal Vascular Diseases, founder of the 'Venous Forum' and present chair of the Phlebological Section. Nowadays Hungarian phlebologists and vascular surgeons are treating the patients all over the world. Peter Gloviczki Professor of Vascular Surgery of Mayo Clinic as well as the 15th president of the American Venous Forum, and Zoltán Várady Professor and founder of the Vein Clinic in Frankfurt support our work in every way. Internationally acknowledged Hungarian phlebologists are Peter Conrad and George Somjen in Australia, Roberto Várnagy and Peter-Pablo Komlos in South America and Attila Puskás in Transylvania.