Subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery: indications and results

Subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS) is a new, minimally invasive technique performed in patients with advanced chronic venous insufficiency. The objective of the operation is to interrupt incompetent medial calf perforating veins to decrease venous reflux and reduce ambulatory venous hypertension in critical areas above the ankle where venous ulcers most frequently develop. Patients with stasis skin changes and healed or active venous ulcerations are potential candidates for the operation. Preoperative evaluation is performed with duplex scanning of the superficial, deep and perforator system, to diagnose both obstruction and valvular incompetence. Results of the North American SEPS Registry (NASEPS) as well as experience in several individual centers confirmed that the operation has significantly fewer wound complications than the classic open surgical techniques, and that rapid ulcer healing can be achieved. At the Mayo Clinic an ulcer recurrence rate of 12% was observed, with recurrence significantly more frequent in post-thrombotic limbs than in patients with primary venous valvular incompetence. The NASEPS Registry report confirmed a 2-year cumulative ulcer recurrence rate of 28%; ulcer recurrence was significantly more frequent in post-thrombotic limbs, especially in those with deep venous obstruction. SEPS is a new, low-risk, outpatient procedure that effectively decreases perforator reflux in patients with venous ulcerations, and should be added to our armamentarium to treat patients with advanced chronic venous disease. Long-term prospective and randomized studies are, however, still required to provide level I evidence of late efficacy.