ABSTRACT
The varicose small saphenous vein (SSV), treated by most authors by the tra-
ditional ligation and stripping operation, can also be avulsed-and in our
opinion advantageously-by ambulatory phlebectomy (AP) (1,2). The vein is
in fact accessible to phlebectomy from its origin behind the lateral malleolus,
to its termination in the popliteal fossa. However, phlebectomy of the SSV is
more difficult than that of the epifascial collateral veins and differs in some
aspects from the general description of phlebectomy in Chapter 9. It is therefore
described separately in this chapter. The difficulties particular to this vein are due
primarily to two anatomical features:
1. The SSV is enveloped into a duplication of the aponeurotic fascia and
is therefore subfascial.
