REGULAR CONTENT
Final ID
577
Type
Original Scientific Research-Oral or Pos
Authors
C Martin1, L Ferrara2, R Baum3
Institutions
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 3Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
Purpose
Endovenous ablation for the treatment of symptomatic venous insufficiency was first introduced in 2003. Patients undergoing this procedure avoid the morbidity associated with traditional saphenous stripping procedures. The purpose of this investigation was to determine long-term results and patient satisfaction in patients having the procedure more than five years ago.
Materials & Methods
Institutional review board approval was obtained for a retrospective review as well as a prospective reevaluation via ultrasonography of previously treated areas. A survey instrument was sent to all patients that had venous ablation procedures over five years ago (2640 patients; 544 men, 2096 women). The 24-question survey scored pre-procedure symptoms and quality of life, as well as post procedure satisfaction, symptom recurrence, and quality of life immediately after the procedure, one year later, five years later, and ten years later.
Results
6140 procedures were performed on 4087 individual patients over an eleven-year period. Of these, 4063 procedures were performed five years ago or longer, consisting of 2640 patients. At this point in time we have received 226 completed surveys (35 men, 191 women), and we continue to receive responses. The results of the survey were broken down into two groups, those having the procedure five to nine years ago and those having the procedure ten or more years ago. Patient satisfaction was assessed one year, five years, and ten years after the procedure. Patients were generally satisfied following the procedure (83% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied, 5% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied at one year), with an increased chance of being unsatisfied as more time elapsed (62% satisfied, 32% dissatisfied, 6% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied at ten years).
Conclusions
Endovenous ablation is an effective treatment for symptomatic venous insufficiency with excellent long-term results. However recurrent symptoms do occur the more time that passes. Our next step is to reexamine those unsatisfied patients to determine if the treated vein recanalized or additional insufficient veins developed over time.
Final ID
577
Type
Original Scientific Research-Oral or Pos
Authors
C Martin1, L Ferrara2, R Baum3
Institutions
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 3Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
Purpose
Endovenous ablation for the treatment of symptomatic venous insufficiency was first introduced in 2003. Patients undergoing this procedure avoid the morbidity associated with traditional saphenous stripping procedures. The purpose of this investigation was to determine long-term results and patient satisfaction in patients having the procedure more than five years ago.
Materials & Methods
Institutional review board approval was obtained for a retrospective review as well as a prospective reevaluation via ultrasonography of previously treated areas. A survey instrument was sent to all patients that had venous ablation procedures over five years ago (2640 patients; 544 men, 2096 women). The 24-question survey scored pre-procedure symptoms and quality of life, as well as post procedure satisfaction, symptom recurrence, and quality of life immediately after the procedure, one year later, five years later, and ten years later.
Results
6140 procedures were performed on 4087 individual patients over an eleven-year period. Of these, 4063 procedures were performed five years ago or longer, consisting of 2640 patients. At this point in time we have received 226 completed surveys (35 men, 191 women), and we continue to receive responses. The results of the survey were broken down into two groups, those having the procedure five to nine years ago and those having the procedure ten or more years ago. Patient satisfaction was assessed one year, five years, and ten years after the procedure. Patients were generally satisfied following the procedure (83% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied, 5% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied at one year), with an increased chance of being unsatisfied as more time elapsed (62% satisfied, 32% dissatisfied, 6% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied at ten years).
Conclusions
Endovenous ablation is an effective treatment for symptomatic venous insufficiency with excellent long-term results. However recurrent symptoms do occur the more time that passes. Our next step is to reexamine those unsatisfied patients to determine if the treated vein recanalized or additional insufficient veins developed over time.