Varicose veins in ambulatory surgery : patients' perception

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Ambulatory Surgery
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Venous surgery is increasingly performed in ambulatory surgery units.
• Understanding patient perception before discharge is vital for optimizing care.
• Varicose vein disease assessment utilizes CEAP classification and VCSS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patient perception regarding psychological apprehension before hospital discharge after ambulatory venous surgery.
• To identify factors associated with pre-discharge anxiety in patients undergoing varicose vein surgery.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 100 patients undergoing primary varicose vein surgery.
• Assessment of venous disease using CEAP and VCSS.
• Documentation of pre-discharge anxiety, postoperative pain, return to normal activity, and patient satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Most patients (87%) reported no psychological apprehension before discharge.
• Four patients required unplanned admission; two due to severe anxiety.
• Anxiety was not significantly correlated with demographic or clinical factors, except for a higher complication rate in the recovery room (p = .04).

Conclusions:

• Psychological distress in ambulatory venous surgery patients cannot be reliably predicted or prevented through patient selection alone.
• Emotional factors must be considered in outpatient surgical practice for venous conditions.
• Further research may be needed to identify effective strategies for managing pre-discharge anxiety.