[Management of patients with varicose veins presenting with a history of deep venous thrombosis]

The notion of a history of deep venous thrombosis in patients with varicose veins has often been at the origin of a contemplative attitude toward this pathology. What used to be an act of vigilance has now become plain negligence, if not a therapeutic error. Indeed, the difficulty in diagnosing an acute episode explains the many false positive results obtained; moreover, the variability of the evolution of true venous thrombosis should no longer cause one to adopt a monolithic attitude. In this indication, noninvasive investigating procedures allow distinguishing quite different situations occurring in these patients. In a substantial number of cases, no deep vein circulatory abnormality can be found. Treatment should address primary varicose veins. For those patients with deep venous thrombosis sequelae, such studies allow us to differentiate between occlusion/restriction states from devalvulation, and to detect the precise location of such sequelae, as well as their impact on circulatory function. When occlusion is found, varicose veins, which may be supplementary veins, are left untouched. When devalvulation occurs as an isolated phenomenon, superficial vein insufficiency is of primary importance. Treatment is the more complete that deep reflux will promote relapse through all existing leakage points. If, regardless of this treatment, deep reflux causes significant disturbances, surgical revalvulation should be recommended. More complex cases combining persisting occlusion with devalvulation call for a graded attitude. Noninvasive investigating procedures coupled with phlebography allow us to assess the part played by the various anomalies in causing the disorders.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)