ABSTRACT
Objective To study the minimally invasive surgical treatment for lower extremity varicosis complicated with chronic ulcers. Methods The authors reviewed 58 patients with low extremity varicosis complicated with chronic ulcers characterized by the CEAP (clinical, etiologic, anatomic, pathophysiologic) classification by using duplex ultrasonography. After the location of the perforating veins producing ulcers was marked, minimally invasive operations under local anesthesia were performed. Results Postoperatively, the ulcers healed in 1 month in 49 patients whose lesion surfaces were smaller than 3 cm ? 3 cm and completely cleared up in 2 months in the rest of 9 patients who had relatively larger ulcers. Follow-up observations for 0.5~1.5 years found remarkable improvement of skin color and elasticity in patients with severe cutaneous hyperpigmentation and lipodermatosclerosis. No recurrence was seen. Conclusions Both valvular insufficiency of the great or less saphenous vein and the perforating venous incompetence should be treated simultaneously in patients with lower extremity varicosis complicated with chronic ulcers.