ABSTRACT
Although surgical treatment is widely used for varicose veins, recent publications show that
recurrence may be expected in 25% to 50% of patients at five years (1-4). Patients require on
average two weeks away from work following treatment to allow postoperative bruising and
discomfort to subside. Surgery leaves scars and may result in damage to adjacent structures
including nerves, lymphatics, major arteries and veins (5). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and
pulmonary embolism may also follow surgical treatment for varicose veins (6,7). A desire to
reduce such complications has led to the development of alternative treatments which include
radiofrequency obliteration (RF obliteration) (8), endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) (9) and
ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS).
