The effect of short saphenous vein stripping in patients with deep venous reflux.

Object: We assessed whether or not deep venous reflux (DVR) improved after short saphenous vein (SSV) stripping was performed in patients with SSV reflux and DVR.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-eight patients with SSV reflux who underwent SSV striping every Monday between 2008 and 2011 at Ryougoku Ashino Clinic were enrolled in this study. Forty-six of the 68 patients were selected for the analysis because they underwent duplex ultrasound examinations before and after the operation. The DVR was classified into four categories: type 0, no reflux; type I, reflux in popliteal vein; type II, reflux from popliteal vein to the middle of the superficial femoral vein (SFV) and type III, reflux from the popliteal vein to the SFV.

Results: There were 23, 13, 2 and 8 patients with type 0, I, II, III before operation, respectively. There were 33, 8, 1, 4 patients with type 0, I, II, III after operation, respectively. There were no changes in 29 patients, improvement in 15 and new DVR in three (type 0 to I).

Conclusion: SSV stripping is feasible in patients with DVR and the DVR might not be deteriorated even though that is performed.