SURGERY VS. INJECTION TREATMENT OF VARICOSE VEINS

Abstract

To the Editor:— A communication to the editor ofThe Journal, May 25, 1940, page 2139, by Isaak Ludwig discussing the paper of Dean and Dulin suggests the many inconsistencies in the present discussion and treatment of varicose veins. In their paper, Dean and Dulin state that there are more fatalities than are reported with the injection treatment of varicose veins. They state that they use the high ligation plus the injection treatment in these cases. In the same paper they cite Westerborn's statistics on the comparative mortality rates with the various types of treatment, which show a mortality of 0.26 per cent with surgical treatment alone, 0.33 per cent with high ligation plus the injection treatment and only 0.036 per cent with the injection treatment alone. These statistics, which I am convinced will check favorably with the average reliable statistics, show a ten times greater mortality rate with high