ABSTRACT
Confusion exists regarding the right surgical strategy for therapy of isolated varicosis of the lateral accessorian saphenous vein (LASV) resulting from an incompetent valve at the crosse without concomitant reflux into the long saphenous vein (LSV). In a retrospective study 30 patients with isolated varicosis of the LASV were examined 3 years after surgical treatment. In this study the first segment of the LSV was removed after resection of the LASV. 64% of our patients were free of recurrence after 3 years. 25% had partial reflux from the Boyd perforans vein and only 9% of the patients had a complete reflux in the LSV. Based on our results it is justified not to remove the LSV in cases of isolated varicosis of the LASV.
Subject(s)
Saphenous Vein/surgery , Varicose Veins/surgery , Venous Insufficiency/surgery , Adult , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recurrence , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Topical application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), with subsequent synthesis of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), is a novel outstanding procedure for photodynamic treatment. So far, clinical experience has been reported with creams containing 5-ALA for the therapy of skin cancer, oral application for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease and intravesical instillation of 5-ALA solutions for fluorescence detection of superficial bladder cancer. Inhalation of 5-ALA for the staining of bronchial malignancies is a preferred method in clinical pulmonology. Since no adverse reaction was observed in lung function in a canine following inhalation of 5-ALA in increasing concentrations, clinical applications were performed. Seven patients with positive or suspicious sputum cytology, but negative white light bronchoscopy, received 5-10 wt.% 5-ALA in NaCl solution by means of a medical nebulizer. No side effects were observed during and after 5-ALA inhalation. After a period of 3 h, patients underwent fluorescence bronchoscopy using violet light for fluorescence excitation and an optical multichannel analyzer for fluorescence detection in situ. The results showed fluorescence spectra which could be related to PPIX induced by 5-ALA in the bronchial mucosa. The fluorescence intensity was sufficiently high for video imaging using a target integrating color CCD camera adapted to the flexible bronchoscope. Carcinoma in situ, as well as dysplasias, showed a clear positive fluorescence. A correlation of fluorescence contrast with histology on 30 biopsies revealed a high sensitivity, but a specificity below 50%. Improvements in light and drug dosimetry will form the basis for further clinical trials.
