LATEST RESEARCH BETWEEN VENOUS TECHNIQUES EXPLAINED 

The function of veins is to return blood to the heart. Varicose veins are a result of what is termed ‘venous insufficiency.’  This is a fancy term to that is used to describe veins that do not efficiently return blood to the heart.  This inefficiency causes pressure on its branches.  This pressure dilates the branches causing varicosities.

Today there are many minimally invasive methods to treat these veins.  Many of these procedures involve catheters that enter the vein and in one way or another shut down the vein.  

In this month’s research Journal called The Journal of Vascular Surger- Venous and Lymphatic Disorders an article was published which compares two different techniques.  The techniques compared were Radiofrequency Ablation and Cyanoacrylate Closure.  Radiofrequency ablation uses a catheter placed inside a vein to deliver heat to shut the nonworking vein down.  Cyanoacrylate closure uses a catheter that delivers a ‘glue’ to shut the nonworking vein down.

The article compared the two techniques between the 2015 and 2017 using a total of 159 patients.  The success of the two approaches were found to be the same.  The complication rate involved in using the heat based technique (radiofrequency ablation) was found to be slightly higher but also very safe.  The study concluded that both techniques are effective in closing the insufficienct vein and both can be safely used.

Blog:  Alissa Brotman O’Neill DO RPVI FACOS

Bibliography:

M Bedemci MD etal. Single-center retrospective review of early outcomes of radiofrequency ablation versus cyanoacrylate ablation of isolated great saphenous vein insufficiency:  Journal of Vascular Surgery-Venous and Lymphatic Disorders. July 2019 Volume 7, Issue 4, pages 480-485

Editorial Comments: This study included only one physician and only 159 patients.  Venaseal has fewer studies comparing it to other modalities.  Therefore, more studies need to be done to determine if it is equal to the longer standing radiofrequency ablation technique.  Also, this study used only one surgeon’s results and therefore is also dependent on the technique of that one surgeon.