[Treatment of lower limb varicose veins in 2015: The present and the future]

The introduction of intravenous therapy (ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, laser, radiofrequency) has considerably changed radical treatment of superficial venous insufficiency. The recent granting of reimbursable status for radio frequency thermal ablation has led us to propose radical synthetic treatment for varicose veins. The treatment is based on Doppler ultrasound exploration with detailed varicose cartography, taking into account the affected area (large or small saphenous vein), the site of the point or points of leakage, the diameter of the incontinent saphenous vein, whether the saphenous vein and tributaries are rectilinear or sinuous, and the depth of the varicose network in relation to the skin surface. The decision to implement radical therapy is based on the stage of the disease, particularly in the event of trophic lesions, and takes into consideration both the functional and aesthetic impairment caused by the varicose disorder. All of the foregoing factors affect the choice of treatment, which is also based upon the availability of the various technical approaches mentioned, upon full control of the benefits and limitations of each of the various methods, and upon informed patient consent with regard to the various options proposed: surgery, essentially involving stripping and phlebectomy or endovenous treatments: chemical ablation via ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, and laser or radiofrequency thermal ablation.