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Stab avulsion of the short saphenous vein. Technique and duplex evaluation
M Georgiev1, S Ricci, D Carbone
1San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Background:
Stab avulsion, largely employed for removal of superficial collateral varicosities, is generally considered unsuited for surgical removal of the varicose short saphenous vein.
Objective:
To describe the technique of stab avulsion of the short saphenous vein and objectively validate it by demonstrating the exact site of short saphenous vein division in the popliteal fossa.
Methods:
Postoperative duplex scan of popliteal fossa in 18 limbs, 3.5 months after stab avulsion of the short saphenous vein.
Results:
No short saphenous vein stump in 4 limbs (22%). An average 1.7-cm (range 1 to 4 cm) stump in the remaining 14 limbs.
Conclusions:
High (not flush) ligation of the standard short saphenous vein, considered adequate by experts who practice traditional (open field) surgery, can also be achieved by stab avulsion without a large incision, and dissection in the popliteal fossa. The stab avulsion technique is therefore adequate for removal of the standard short saphenous vein. However, because of the short-term follow-up of this study, in which cases high ligation is as efficacious as flush ligation cannot be indicated.