STAB AVULSION OF THE SHORT SAPHENOUS-VEIN - TECHNIQUE AND DUPLEX EVALUATION

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.