ANATOMICAL PATTERNS IN VARICOSE-VEIN DISEASE - A DUPLEX SCANNING STUDY

Objectives: To determine symptomatology, clinical class, and topographic patterns of varicose veins in a consecutive series of patients with venous complaints. Methods: We performed clinical examination and duplex scanning of 498 lower limbs in 317 patients with obvious varicose veins for whom no previous treatment had been undertaken. Results: Classes of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) in 498 legs: grade 0: 117 (23.5%); gr 1: 310 (62.2%); gr 2: 47 (9.4%); gr 3: 24 (4.8%). Duplex-detected venous reflux was found in the greater saphenous vein territory (junction or trunk or related perforator or main tributary) in 423 limbs (85.3%) the sapheno-femoral junction was incompetent in only 342 legs (68.7%). Reflux was found in the lesser saphenous vein territory in 100 limbs (20.1%) and in sapheno-popliteal junction in 92 (18.5%). Strictly non saphenous origin of varicosities was found in 31 limbs (6.2%). Deep venous incompetence was found in 48 legs (9.6%). Conclusions: These findings yield data on the distribution and occurence of lower limbs venous lesions in patients with varicose disease.