[Left predominance of varices: myth or reality?]

The study of 843 legs operated for major varices shows that they are equally distributed between the two lower limbs (48.6% on the right, 51.4% on the left). There is little sex-determined variation in this distribution (410 women - 184 men), the main difference being that found in men: +4.6% on the left. Other studies carried out in Europe come to much the same conclusion. Two of these studies do, however, note a much clearer predominance of left-leg varices in men (+10%). For some studies, the lack of information about the type of varices being considered has proved troublesome (for example the many isolated telangiectasis and varices) and means that it is impossible to come to any exact conclusion. Clinical quantification is therefore desirable: at least it takes into account the diameter of the varices studied.