Cryo perforator surgery with a diamond dust-coated cryoprobe

This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of cryoperforator surgery in the treatment of incompetent perforating veins with a diamond dust coated cryoprobe. Eleven patients with clinical severity class C2-C4 were enrolled in this study. Under local anesthesia, incompetent perforating veins were duplex guided treated with a diamond dust coated cryoprobe. Duplex scan was performed 4 weeks after treatment. Eleven patients with 15 incompetent perforating veins were treated with cryoperforator surgery. Distribution of incompetent perforating veins was as follows: thigh perforator, 6; leg perforators, 9. Median diameter was 4mm (range = 2.0-6.2 mm). Follow-up showed successful treatment of 3 incompetent perforating veins (20%). Distribution of perforating veins in successful treatment: thigh perforator, 1; leg perforator, 2. This study showed that cryoperforator surgery is not feasible for treatment of incompetent perforating veins. The procedure is difficult and painful with a disturbing success rate and it should be considered obsolete.