Ten years experience with subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery

We report here results from our 10-year experience of performing subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery (SEPS). Between 1989 and 1999 we performed 254 SEPS in 224 patients. SEPS results were evaluated 1 month after surgery and every 6 months during observation. In the year 2000, all patients who underwent the procedure were called in for a final follow-up examination. Analysis covered all documented data of 130 patients and 146 limbs (58% and 57.5%, respectively, of those that underwent surgery). The study group comprised 51 men and 79 women, between 26 and 72 years of age. The chronic venous insufficient clinical condition of patients prior to surgery was as follows: class 3, 3.1%; class 4, 40%; class 5, 29.2%; class 6, 27.7%. Post-thrombotic syndrome was diagnosed in 85 patients (65.3%). The observation period ranged from 6 months to 10 years (4 years and 8 months on average). Long-term SEPS results demonstrated the efficacy and safety of this surgical technique. SEPS is a new treatment method, especially for patients with ulcerations. Unfortunately, it dose not completely solve the problem of treating chronic venous insufficiency.