Secret History: Return of the Black Death Channel 4, 7-8pm In 1348 the Black Death swept through London, killing people within days of the appearance of their first symptoms. Exactly how many died, and why, has long been a mystery. This Secret History documentary follows experts as they pick through the evidence and reveal why the plague killed on such a scale. And they ask, what might be coming next?

Medscape

https://www.srcv.ro/ghiduri/Managementul%20pacientilor%20cu%20boala%20venoasa%20cronica%20-%20Ghidurile%20SVS%20-%20American%20Venous%20Forum.pdf

The care of patients with varicose veins and associated chronic venous diseases: Clinical practice guidelines of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum

https://repub.eur.nl/pub/78905/Chronic-Venous-Disease.pdf

Editor's Choice - Management of Chronic Venous Disease: Clinical Practice Guidelines of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS).

Background: This randomized trial compared four treatments for varicose great saphenous veins (GSVs). Methods: Five hundred consecutive patients (580 legs) with GSV reflux were randomized to endovenous laser ablation (980 and 1470 nm, bare fibre), radiofrequency ablation, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy or surgical stripping using tumescent local anaesthesia with light sedation. Miniphlebectomies were also performed. The patients were examined with duplex imaging before surgery, and after 3 days, 1 month and 1 year. Results: At 1 year, seven (5· 8p er cent), six (4·8 per cent), 20 (16·3 per cent) and four (4· 8p er cent) of the GSVs were patent and refluxing in the laser, radiofrequency, foam and stripping groups respectively (P < 0·001). One patient developed a pulmonary embolus after foam sclerotherapy and one a deep vein thrombosis after surgical stripping. No other major complications were recorded. The mean(s.d.) postintervention pain scores (scale 0‐10) were 2·58(2·41), 1·21(1·72), 1·60(2·04) and 2·25(2·23) respectively (P < 0·001). The median (range) time to return to normal function was 2 (0‐25), 1 (0‐30), 1 (0‐30) and 4 (0‐30) days respectively (P < 0·001). The time off work, corrected for weekends, was 3·6 (0‐46), 2·9 (0‐14), 2·9 (0‐33) and 4·3 (0‐42) days respectively (P < 0·001). Disease-specific quality-of-life and Short Form 36 (SF-36  ) scores had improved in all groups by 1-year follow-up. In the SF-36  domains bodily pain and physical functioning, the radiofrequency and foam groups performed better in the short term than the others. Conclusion: All treatments were efficacious. The technical failure rate was highest after foam sclerotherapy, but both radiofrequency ablation and foam were associated with a faster recovery and less postoperative pain than endovenous laser ablation and stripping.

/pdf/randomized-clinical-trial-comparing-endovenous-laser-58lx4sfmzq.pdf

Randomized clinical trial comparing endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, foam sclerotherapy and surgical stripping for great saphenous varicose veins.

https://www.jvascsurg.org/article/S0741-5214(08)00975-0/pdf

Endovenous therapies of lower extremity varicosities: a meta-analysis.

Radiofrequency Endovenous ClosureFAST versus Laser Ablation for the Treatment of Great Saphenous Reflux: A Multicenter, Single-blinded, Randomized Study (RECOVERY Study)

Objective The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of an endovenous cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesive implant, delivered with a catheter-based administration system engineered with a nonstick surface, for the treatment of incompetent great saphenous veins (GSVs). The primary safety end point was the rate of serious adverse events related to the procedure. The primary efficacy end point was vein occlusion during follow-up. Secondary end points included the rate of all adverse events and the change in Venous Clinical Severity Scores (VCSSs). Methods Thirty-eight incompetent GSVs in 38 symptomatic patients were treated by catheter deployment of CA under ultrasound guidance via a repetitive bolus injection algorithm. By protocol design, perivenous tumescent anesthesia and compression stockings were omitted. Duplex ultrasound imaging and clinical follow-up were performed immediately after the procedure, at 48 hours, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Results The mean total volume of endovenous CA delivered was 1.3 ± 0.4 mL (range, 0.6-2.3 mL). Immediately after the procedure and at the 48-hour follow-up, the 38 patients (100%) demonstrated complete closure of the GSV. One complete and two partial recanalizations were observed during follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis yielded an occlusion rate of 92% at 12 months of follow-up. Side effects were generally mild and self-limited, most frequently, phlebitis in six patients (15.8%) requiring nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for an average of 5.7 days. Eight patients (21.1%) showed thread-like thrombus extensions into the common femoral vein of a mean length of 12.6 mm (range, 3.5-35 mm), which resolved spontaneously without anticoagulation. VCSS improved in all patients from a mean of 6.1 ± 2.7 at baseline to 1.5 ± 1.4 at 12 months (P  Conclusions The first human use of endovenous CA for closure of insufficient GSVs proved to be feasible, safe, and effective. Endovenous delivery of CA may prove to be an alternative for the correction of saphenous incompetence and may be used without tumescent anesthesia and medical compression stockings.

First human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of endovenous cyanoacrylate-based embolization of incompetent great saphenous veins.MethodsIncompetent great saphenous veins in 38 patients were embolized by cyanoacrylate bolus injections under ultrasound guidance without the use of perivenous tumescent anesthesia or graduated compression stockings. Follow-up was performed over a period of 24 months.ResultOf 38 enrolled patients, 36 were available at 12 months and 24 were available at 24 months follow-up. Complete occlusion of the treated great saphenous vein was confirmed by duplex ultrasound in all patients except for one complete and two partial recanalizations observed at, 1, 3 and 6 months of follow-up, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis yielded an occlusion rate of 92.0% (95% CI 0.836–1.0) at 24 months follow-up. Venous Clinical Severity Score improved in all patients from a mean of 6.1 ± 2.7 at baseline to 1.3 ± 1.1, 1.5 ± 1.4 and 2.7 ± 2.5 at 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively (p < .0001). Edema ...

Two-year follow-up of first human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence

Radiofrequency Ablation and Laser Ablation in the Treatment of Varicose Veins

Background: The introduction of cyanoacrylate (CA) within a blood vessel triggers polymerization, followed by an inflammatory reaction. Methods: A sheath was positioned 2.0 cm caudad to the junction of the superficial epigastric and abdominus rectus veins in 2 swine, followed by ultrasound-guided injection of 0.16 mL of CA glue. After glue delivery, the catheter was pulled back 3 cm, compression was applied to the treatment site, and the process was repeated for the entire length. At 60 days postimplantation, the veins were harvested surgically and examined histologically. Results: The histologic changes were consistent with a chronic foreign-body-type inflammatory response. Venous closure, segmental wall thickening, and fibrosis were observed. Conclusion: Injection of CA is feasible for closure of superficial veins in animal models. Vein closure is achieved via an inflammatory process which ultimately leads to fibrosis.

Jose I. Almeida

Papers

Radiofrequency Endovenous ClosureFAST versus Laser Ablation for the Treatment of Great Saphenous Reflux: A Multicenter, Single-blinded, Randomized Study (RECOVERY Study)

First human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence.

Two-year follow-up of first human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence

Radiofrequency Ablation and Laser Ablation in the Treatment of Varicose Veins

Cyanoacrylate adhesive for the closure of truncal veins: 60-day swine model results.