Late Follow-Up of Saphenofemoral Junction Ligation Combined With Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy in Patients With Venous Ulcers

Abstract

Venous ulcers are a frequent complication of venous disease, and a variety of healing methods have been proposed for these lesions. The objective of this study was to provide late follow-up data for a group of patients with venous ulcers who presented with advanced chronic venous insufficiency and were treated with saphenofemoral junction ligation combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. This was a prospective study of 35 patients. Patients were classified as CEAP6 and were followed during a 45- to 68-month period. The following variables were assessed: wound healing, ultrasound findings, and venous clinical severity scores. The following ultrasound findings were observed: total and partial recanalization in 19 patients (treatment failure) and occlusion in 13 patients (treatment success). Two patients were lost to follow-up, and one patient died. Ulcers healed between 30 and 70 days and remained closed for a mean period of 48 months (Kaplan-Meyer method). The analysis of clinical severity scores (pain, edema, pigmentation, lipodermatosclerosis, and inflammation) revealed significant improvement when comparing pre- and post-treatment results. Our preliminary findings suggest that saphenofemoral junction ligation combined with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is a feasible and simple palliative treatment method for this group of patients.