A higher body mass index means worse satisfaction outcome in obese patients undergoing varicose vein surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity (body mass index [BMI] >30) and lower limb venous disease (LLVD) is a common problem, yet there is a sparsity of evidence in its management. The aim was to carry out a satisfaction survey on such patients following their venous surgery from a single center. Methods: Three hundred and thirty procedures carried out from January 2017 to April 2018. Eighty-seven patients with BMI > 30 were selected and case notes reviewed retrospectively. Data on demography, risk factors, Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, Pathology (CEAP) status, operative data, and complications were collected. Fifty-three patients had a telephone follow-up to assess satisfaction in terms of symptoms and appearance. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors contributing to a worse outcome. Results: The mean age was 53.1 (50.6% were male). The mean BMI was 36.11 (30–56). CEAP grade of more than 3 was present in 69.8% (44/87). Most patients were treated by radiofrequency ablation (81.6% [71/87]). Significant complications occurred in 3.4% (3/87) after surgery. The median follow-up was 22 months (14–30). Symptoms improvement was reported in 74% (39/53), while 5.6% (3/53) reported worse symptoms. In terms of appearance, 71.6% (38/53) reported improvement, while 7.5% (4/53) reported worse appearance. Logistic regression analysis identified BMI to be a significant risk factor (odds ratio 1.257 (95% confidence interval 1.004–1.575). Conclusions: The higher the BMI, the lesser the patient satisfaction after varicose vein surgery. Obese patients with LLVD can be treated successfully with a high satisfaction rate for BMI class 1 and 2.