Comparison Of Radiofrequency Obliteration And Ligation Plus Vein Stripping In Treatment Of Chronic Venous Insufficiency Of Lower Extremiti: A Prospective Controlled Study On Efficacy And Safety

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency (RF) obliteration intreatment of Chronic venous insufficiency of lower extremities(CVI) in comparison withligation plus vein stripping.Materials and Methods: Forty patients were randomized into two groups: RF groupwith20that given endovenous RF obliteration of GSVs and phlebectomy of varicosevein, and control group with20that given traditional high ligation plus vein stripping.Outcomes were evaluated between two groups, including medical outcomes,complications, procedure time, Study short form health survey (SF-36), pain scoring,hospitalization time, total charge and etc..Results: All patients in two groups employed the procedures successfully. a) Efficacy. InRF group, Duplex Ultrasound, introduced after RF obliteration right now, showed allGSVs collapse, and no one required more treatment in following1year period. In1yearfollow-up,19patients (95%) in both groups displayed complete disappearance ofvaricosity. The rates are equal. b) Complications. Numbness occurred in6patients of RFgroup and3of control group respectively (P=1.0). Hypodermal bleeding happenedaround wounds in both groups. No infection, skin thermal injury, deep vein thrombus,pulmonary embolization and anaesthesia-related complications were observed in bothgroups. c) Procedure time: Procedure time for RF obliteration of GSV was15.83min, while that for ligation plus vein stripping of GSV was34.39min in control group(F=258.388, P<0.001). Time for phlebectomy of varicose vein showed no significantdifference between both groups (F=0.005, P<0.947). d) Quality of life scoring. As forquality of life scoring including physical functioning, physical role functioning, bodilypain, social role functioning and emotional role functioning, RF group presented betterscoring significantly at1week,4week after procedures than control group, while nosignificant difference at baseline and1year after procedures. Furthermore, no significantdifference was observed between two groups regarding general health perceptions,vitality and mental health. e) Pain scoring. RF group showed significantly better thancontrol group at a variety of status (rest, standing and walking). f) Hospitalization time.Hospitalization time of RF group was significantly shortened than control group (mean,6.25vs12.35days, F=226.963, P<0.001). g) Total charge. Total charge ofhospitalization in RF group was significantly higher than control group (mean,￥9504.62vs4233.22, F=856.731, P<0.001).Conclusion: RF obliteration is an effective and safe method in treatment of Chronicvenous insufficiency of lower extremities(CVI), especially improving quality of lifecomparing to traditional ligation plus vein stripping. But the total charge ofhospitalization is much higher.