Symptom improvement after cyanoacrylate glue adhesion and endovenous laser ablation in low-grade CEAP clinical...

Low-grade primary superficial venous reflux (C0-C3 EpAsPr [Ep (primary), As (superficial), and Pr (reflux)]) is a common feature of chronic venous disease. However, the procedural efficacy focusing on symptom characteristics and improvement patterns in this population has not been fully explored.

From 2018 to 2019, 325 limbs from 279 patients with C0-C3 EpAsPr (including 66.1% with C0-C1) who had undergone cyanoacrylate ablation (CA) with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) or endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) with UGFS were included in the present study. Venous symptoms were classified into five categories: leg heaviness, calf cramping, itching sensation, pain, and numbness. A retrospective propensity score-matched analysis of data collected using a prospectively designed case report form was performed to identify the improvement magnitude of each symptom. As secondary outcomes, the postoperative changes in symptom severity (0-5 points), venous reflux-originated severity score, venous clinical severity score (VCSS), and 14-item chronic venous insufficiency quality of life questionnaire (CIVIQ-14) were evaluated in a 3-month postoperative data analysis.

After adjusting the data, 174 limbs (CA with UGFS, n = 87; EVLA with UGFS, n = 87) were matched. The symptoms with the greatest improvement after treatment were night cramping (94.7%) and itching (93.8%), followed by heaviness (85.2%), numbness (77.8%), and pain (60.9%). All symptom improvement scores after each endovenous procedure showed similar patterns in both groups. The advantages of CA with UGFS over EVLA with UGFS were a shorter procedure time (20.1 ± 10.6 minutes vs 28.4 ± 10.9 minutes; P = .001) and lower perioperative visual analog for pain scores (2.99 ± 2.34 vs 3.74 ± 2.49; P = .03). Compared with the preoperative values, the venous reflux originated severity score, VCSS, CIVIQ-14 score, and symptom severity score were significantly improved in both groups (P < .001 for all). Improvements in all five symptoms (P = .085 to P = 1.0), VCSS (P = .435), CIVIQ-14 score (P = .788), and satisfaction score (P = .392) at 3 months postoperatively were comparable between the two groups. In the CA group, 2 cases of endovenous glue-induced thrombosis and 24 cases (27.6%) of type IV hypersensitivity reactions occurred.

Minimally invasive endovenous surgery with CA and EVLA provides significant symptom improvement for patients with low-grade CEAP classes.