Implementation of a varicose vein module added to Swedvasc, the Swedish National Registry for vascular surgery.

Abstract

The addition of a varicose veins (VV) module to the existing Swedish National Registry for Vascular Surgery (Swedvasc) and its impact on quality of care were evaluated. Vascular departments and private VV clinics were invited to enter data from 2016. Registrations were approximately 10,000 yearly but dropped to 5390 in 2022 when a fee was introduced for private clinics due to reduced funding. 88% more interventions were reported to Swedvasc 2020 than to the National Board of Health and Welfare. Regions differed in interventions per 100,000 inhabitants/year from 21 to 233 and in preoperative CEAP C4-6 from 30.8%-90.4%. Follow-up was 9.4%. These data contributed to the decision to prioritize the patient group for national guidelines and pathways of care, which will be monitored by Swedvasc. A national VV registry with high coverage is possible and can contribute to national quality of care. The main challenge is funding.