Investigation and significance of short saphenous vein incompetence

In this study, 186 limbs with varicose veins or venous skin changes were examined using duplex ultrasonography. Limbs were classified on the basis of short saphenous or popliteal venous incompetence and the number of limbs with venous ulceration (active or healed) recorded. Short saphenous incompetence did not produce a significant increase in the incidence of ulceration, whereas popliteal reflux produced an increase in the risk of ulceration which was statistically significant when compared with limbs without reflux in these two veins (chi 2 = 4.55, P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in the proportion of limbs with concomitant long saphenous reflux between these two groups. Short saphenous reflux is not important in the pathogenesis of venous ulceration. Popliteal reflux is an important factor in the pathogenesis of venous ulceration. More attention should be paid to the surgical correction of popliteal reflux when present in limbs with venous ulceration that fail to heal by conservative measures.