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Predicting superficial venous incompetence with strain gauge plethysmography
N Skeik1, H Kalsi, W E Wysokinski
1Division of Cardiovascular/Vascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. nskeik@yahoo.com.
Phlebology
|September 7, 2011
Summary
Strain gauge plethysmography (SGP) with tourniquet application effectively identifies superficial venous insufficiency (SVI). This simple method helps determine which patients with venous incompetence will benefit most from ablation procedures.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Hemodynamics
Background:
- Effective interventional treatments for superficial venous insufficiency necessitate precise methods for evaluating venous reflux.
- Current diagnostic tools have limitations in differentiating superficial from deep venous incompetence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of strain gauge plethysmography (SGP) with and without tourniquet application in distinguishing superficial from deep venous incompetence.
- To determine if SGP can reliably differentiate venous components.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involved 62 patients (85 limbs) undergoing SGP with and without tourniquet application and duplex ultrasound (duplex US).
- Patients were categorized into superficial venous insufficiency (SVI), deep and superficial (mixed), and deep vein incompetence (DVI) based on duplex US findings.
Main Results:
- Mixed incompetence was the most prevalent diagnosis.
- A significant improvement in refill rate (RR) with tourniquet application was observed in 69.6% of SVI limbs.
- RR normalization with tourniquet application was less frequent in mixed (42.5%) and DVI (33.3%) groups.
Conclusions:
- SGP with tourniquet application is a rapid and straightforward technique for identifying SVI patients likely to benefit from ablation.
- Further research is needed to evaluate the clinical impact of SGP tourniquet test results on SVI treatment outcomes.
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