[Our experience in the surgical therapy of recurrent varicose veins]

After outlining the advances made by surgical technique in the radical treatment of varices veins of the lower extremities, the causes of recurrences are attributed to inadequate operating technique, an error of indication or to treatment of so-called arterial varices of Pratt. Personal experience with 435 operations for varices of the lower extremities carried out from 1971 to the present is reported. 33 cases of relapses or incomplete outcome were observed. The operating report on the occasion of the 2nd intervention showed persistence of the bulb of the internal saphenous vein with all or some of the collateral branches in 22 cases. In 4 cases the recurrence was due to failure to treat insufficiency of the external saphenous vein, and in the remaining 7 cases the cause was insufficient treatment of the communicating veins of the leg.