Assessment of venous muscle pump function by ambulatory calf volume strain gauge plethysmography after surgical treatment of varicose veins: a prospective study of 21 patients

A prospective study of the improvement in leg muscle pump function after radical surgery was performed for treatment of varicose veins. Venous muscle pump function was assessed in 21 patients with primary varicose veins by means of ambulatory strain gauge plethysmography immediately before surgery and 3 months and 60 months after surgical treatment of varicose veins. The physiologic documentation of the operative efficacy was provided by the mean venous reflux, which was reduced by 54% (p less than 0.001), and the mean expelled volume, which was increased by 58% (p less than 0.001). Initially, all patients had improved venous muscle pump function. This improvement was still present 60 months after surgery. At clinical assessment 3 months after surgery, it was noted that 90% of the patients were without residual varicose veins (p less than 0.01). Sixty months after surgery, 71% of the patients were without apparent varicose veins (p less than 0.05). Subjective symptoms had virtually disappeared 3 months after surgery (p less than 0.001) but were found to a variable extent in 80% of the patients at the 60-month control follow-up. It is concluded that ambulatory strain gauge plethysmography may quantitate the effect of surgery in patients with venous valvular incompetence; in addition to measurements of refilling time, it is able to measure the muscle-pump-generated expelled volume because of in-place electrical calibration.     

Venous function assessed during a 5 year period after acute ilio-femoral venous thrombosis treated with anticoagulation

To determine the chronological changes of venous physiology following major thromboses, 20 patients were repeatedly examined for over 5 years after an acute ilio-femoral thrombosis which was treated with conventional anticoagulation. Radionuclide angiography showed that 70% of the patients had obstructive lesions of the iliac vein with only minor changes occurring from 6 months to 5 years. In spite of this, the plethysmographic maximum venous outflow increased from 31 to 45 ml/min/100 ml (P less than 0.001). The foot volumetric reflux did not change with time and about half of the patients had abnormal values. Venous reflux assessed by the refill time of foot vein pressure, deteriorated with time (P less than 0.05), and at 5 years all but one patient had a refill time less than 20 s. The muscle pump function, examined by foot volumetry, was abnormally low in about half of the patients throughout the study. The ambulatory foot vein pressure was constantly pathological (greater than 60 mmHg) in half of the patients and only two of 18 patients had normal values (less than 45 mmHg) at 5 years. Five patients with thromboses involving only the proximal veins had better physiological results than 15 patients with thromboses that extended to the peripheral veins. Three patients who developed venous claudication had iliac vein obstruction and an impaired venous outflow and three patients who developed venous ulcers had venous reflux and severe venous hypertension. Although venous outflow continuously improves following ilio-femoral thromboses, valvular competence and muscle pump function are constantly pathological, creating severe venous hypertension with a risk of post-thrombotic sequelae.     

Primary deep venous incompetence in limbs with varicose veins

Deep venous valvular incompetence (DVI) of primary, non-thrombotic origin has received little interest compared with secondary, postthrombotic DVI. In this study both limbs of 308 patients with untreated or surgically treated varicose veins in at least one limb were examined with Doppler ultrasound for signs of deep vein reflux. Ascending venography was used to exclude limbs with secondary DVI and descending venography to assess valve function. Doppler examination disclosed reflux in 3.5% of the "normal" limbs but in none of the limbs without recurrent varicose veins. A high incidence of primary DVI was found in limbs with untreated varicose veins (20.6%, p less than 0.001) and in those with recurrent or residual varicose veins (42.9%, p less than 0.001), compared with that in "normal" limbs. Popliteal vein reflux was observed in 14% and 37% in these two groups and a combination of femoral and popliteal reflux in 4% and 16%. Reflux of grade 2 or more at descending venography was noted in 43 of 78 limbs with Doppler evidence of reflux. Primary DVI is a common condition in patients with varicose veins. Further studies are needed to determine its clinical significance.     

静脉曲张术后深静脉内径及功能变化的研究进展

原发性下肢静脉曲张是由于血液由深静脉向浅静脉反流而引起的.高压反流的血液通过反流点远心端的一支或多支穿静脉回流入深静脉,从而形成了"深静脉-浅静脉-穿静脉-深静脉"之间的无效循环.进入该循环的血液增加了穿静脉及深静脉的血流负荷,导致二者扩张,继而可能出现功能不全,此即为"超载理论".而不同类型的静脉曲张手术,若能有效阻...     

Pathogenesis of venous ulceration in relation to the calf muscle pump function

Air plethysmography has been used to quantitate venous reflux by measuring the average filling rate of the veins (venous filling index; in milliliters per second) on standing from the supine position, the ejection fraction of the calf muscle pump as a result of one tip-toe movement, and the residual volume fraction after 10 tip-toe movements. Thirty normal limbs, 110 limbs with primary varicose veins, 34 limbs with reflux in the deep veins but without occlusion, and 31 limbs with deep venous occlusion, with or without reflux, have been studied. An increase in the incidence of ulceration occurred with increasing values of reflux and decreasing values of the calf muscle pump ejection fraction. A poor ejection fraction was the primary cause of venous ulceration in limbs with minimal reflux. A good ejection fraction, however, significantly reduced the incidence of ulceration in limbs with marked reflux (p less than 0.05). The residual volume fraction, which expresses the combined effect of venous reflux and ejection fraction with rhythmic exercise, showed a good correlation with the incidence of ulceration and the measurements of ambulatory venous pressure (r = 0.81). The air-plethysmographic measurements completely assess the calf muscle pump function and provide an accurate method to identify the predominant hemodynamic factor (ejection fraction, reflux, or both) responsible for the clinical picture of the patient.     

复发性下肢静脉曲张再手术原因分析

目的:探讨分析复发性下肢静脉曲张再手术的原因。方法:总结63例复发性下肢静脉曲张患者的临床资料,应用彩色多普勒和顺行静脉造影了解下肢深静脉和交通支瓣膜功能。结果:63例中52例为下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全,11例为交通支瓣膜功能不全伴隐静脉主干及其部分属支残留。结论:有效修复深静脉瓣膜功能,结扎和离断相应属支及交通支,阻断静脉的反流,纠正3个静脉系统及溃疡周围的血液滞留,是防治下肢静脉曲张术后复发的主要措施。     

腘静脉肌袢成形术治疗下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全

目的研究下肢腘静脉肌袢成形术治疗下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全的临床疗效. 方法 1997年1月～2001年6月,选择经过彩色多谱勒、静脉造影确诊为原发性下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全的27例(27条)下肢,病程2～32年,平均17.4年.均有浅静脉曲张;其中小腿沉重感25例;肿胀22例;足靴区色素沉着25例;单侧慢性溃疡19例;2例曾行单纯大隐静脉结扎剥脱术.静脉压静息直立时平均为(11.00±0.73) kPa, 活动后平均为(9.14±0.68) kPa.均行腘静脉肌袢成形术,同时行大隐静脉高位结扎抽剥术,有12例行腔镜下交通支结扎. 结果术后27条患肢静脉压活动后平均下降为(5.94±0.82) kPa.与术前活动后平均值比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).近期疗效良好,小腿沉重感及肿胀完全或基本消失,溃疡创面在2周内愈合.术后22条患肢获2～6年随访,21条患肢疗效优良,无复发;1例随访3年时因肌袢粘连导致小腿深静脉血栓形成. 结论严格掌握适应证,规范手术操作,腘静脉肌袢成形术治疗下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全,可获得满意效果.     

Femoral venous reflux abolished by greater saphenous vein stripping

Preoperative venous duplex scanning has revealed unexpected deep venous incompetence in patients with apparently only varicose veins. Acting on the hypothesis that the deep vein reflux was secondary to deep vein dilation caused by reflux volume, the following was done. Between July 1990 and April 1993, 29 limbs in 21 patients (16 females) were examined by color-flow duplex imaging to determine valve closure by the method of van Bemmelen. Instrumentation included high-resolution ATL-9 venous interrogation using a pneumatic cuff deflation stimulus of reflux in the standing, nonweight-bearing limb. All limbs showed greater saphenous vein reflux. Twenty-nine showed superficial femoral vein reflux and of these three showed popliteal vein reflux. Duplex testing was performed by a certified vascular technologist whose interpretation was blinded as to the results of clinical examination and grading of the severity of venous insufficiency. Surgery was performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia using groin-to-knee removal of the greater saphenous vein by the vein inversion technique of Van Der Strict. Stab avulsion of varicose tributary veins was accomplished during the same period of anesthesia. In 27 of 29 limbs with preoperative femoral reflux, that reflux was abolished by greater saphenous stripping. In patients with popliteal reflux both femoral and popliteal reflux was abolished. Improvement of deep venous hemodynamics by ablation of superficial reflux supports the reflux circuit theory of venous overload. Furthermore, preoperative evaluation of venous hemodynamics by duplex scanning appears to provide useful pre- and postoperative information regarding venous insufficiency in individual patients.Presented at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Southern California Vascular Surgical Society, Coronado, Calif, September 17–19, 1993.     

下肢静脉曲张伴溃疡患者的病因分析和疗效观察

目的 探讨下肢静脉曲张伴溃疡（C6级）患者的常见病因和治疗效果,为临床诊治提供参考。方法 收集2020年7月至2021年12月深圳市第二人民医院收治的84例下肢静脉曲张伴溃疡患者的临床资料（共86条患肢）,汇总患者的下肢静脉彩色多普勒超声和顺行造影检查数据,观察患肢的髂静脉压迫情况、深静脉瓣膜反流情况和穿通支静脉反流情况。对患者给予综合治疗,比较治疗前后患者的静脉临床严重程度评分（VCSS）,观察治疗效果。结果 下肢静脉曲张伴溃疡患者中,髂静脉压迫患肢62条（72.1%）;深静脉瓣膜反流患肢47条（54.7%）;穿通支静脉反流患肢64条（74.4%）。溃疡患者在术后3个月的随访期内,经过规律换药,溃疡均得到了愈合,随访期内溃疡未再发。所有患者的术后VCSS为（5.83±1.19）分,低于术前的（11.86±1.89）分,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 下肢静脉曲张伴溃疡患者中存在较高比例的髂静脉压迫、深静脉瓣膜反流、穿通支静脉反流,经过综合治疗后疗效显著。     

Direct popliteal valve substitution by Technique II and its efficacy in deep venous insufficiency of the lower limb

The substitute "valve" operation by Technique II using a silastic tendon designed to produce a valve-like mechanism on the popliteal vein is described. The results achieved in 65 limbs with deep venous insufficiency due to reflux in the deep veins have been assessed by Doppler ultrasound, by measurement of ambulatory venous pressure before and one week after operation and by phlebography twenty seven limbs were followed-up one to three years after operation. The clinical improvement in 60 limbs was associated with reduction in the ambulatory venous pressure, with abolition of popliteal reflux and phlebographic evidence of a functioning substitute "valve".     

手术治疗浅静脉曲张对下肢深静脉反流的影响

目的探讨手术治疗浅静脉曲张对下肢原发性静脉功能不全患者的治疗效果。方法选择2006年4月至9月期间收治的112例下肢原发性深静脉功能不全病例，应用彩色多普勒超声对所有病例进行术前术后的反流程度进行测量，以静脉反流指数（RI）作为评价指标。结果手术治疗浅静脉曲张使38例存在轻度深静脉反流的下肢原发性深静脉功能不全病例中的34例得到了改善。而24例重度深静脉反流中仅有7例深静脉反流得到了改善。结论手术治疗浅静脉曲张可改善临床症状较轻的下肢原发性深静脉功能不全病例的反流程度。     

Influence of the profunda femoris vein on venous hemodynamics of the limb. Experience from thirty-one deep vein valve reconstructions

Venous valve reconstruction in 31 limbs (28 patients) with chronic deep venous insufficiency is analyzed. The indications for operation were primary or secondary deep valvular incompetence with severe reflux and venous hypertension. Valvuloplasty was performed on a proximal valve of the superficial femoral vein (SFV) in 17 limbs and on a common femoral vein valve in two limbs; transplantation of a valve-bearing segment of the axillary vein was made to the common femoral vein in two limbs, to the SFV in seven limbs, and to the popliteal vein in three limbs. The results of valvuloplasty were satisfactory, with six failures observed during a follow-up period extending to 84 months (mean, 44 months). Eight of 12 valve transplant reconstructions failed within 2 years. Patency and competence of the reconstruction were obtained in 27 limbs at the 6-month postoperative control period. The effects on venous pressure were analyzed regarding the presence or absence of reflux into the profunda femoral vein (PFV) with preoperative retrograde phlebography. The results showed significant reduction of the ambulatory venous pressure (p less than 0.05) and increase in venous recovery time (p less than 0.01) in limbs with PFV competence. In limbs in which the PFV was incompetent the pressure values remained unchanged. These findings suggest that the functional state of the PFV is of great importance to the venous hemodynamics of the limb. This study also indicates that the principle of one-level repair in the SFV seems appropriate in limbs with a competent PFV.     

深静脉瓣膜重建术治疗下肢静脉倒流性疾病

为综合评价切开瓣膜修复术、静脉瓣戴戒术和静脉外肌袢成形术三种深静脉瓣膜重建手术的适应证与疗效，对１９９２年１月～１９９６年６月收治的６２例下肢静脉倒流性疾病患者进行了临床研究。全部患者均有不同程度的浅静脉曲张及下肢酸胀感，其中肿胀３０例，足靴区色素沉着２８例，溃疡１４例。病程为１年～３０年，平均１４．６年。１４例患者采用股浅静脉第１对瓣膜戴戒术，１例患者采用股浅静脉切开瓣膜修复术，４７例患者采用月国静脉外肌袢成形术。术后平均随访２０个月，所有患者症状缓解，１４例溃疡均愈合，无一例复发。结果表明：①戴戒术和瓣膜修补术适用于深静脉瓣膜功能不全倒流Ⅰ级～Ⅱ级；②肌袢成形术适用于深静脉瓣膜功能不全倒流Ⅲ级～Ⅳ级或先天性瓣膜功能缺陷；③戴戒材料宽度应增加到２ｃｍ；④对双股静脉畸形的原发性深静脉瓣膜功能不全，应同时行双股浅静脉第１对瓣膜戴戒术。认为，对月国静脉分支较多者仍可施行月国静脉外肌袢成形术，只要术中仔细操作，同样可取得优良效果     

Ambulatory venous pressure measurements: new parameters derived from a mathematic hemodynamic model

PURPOSE: The mechanism of venous pressure decrease during exercise still remains unclear. To explore the components involved with the regulation of ambulatory venous pressure, we reinvestigated the pattern of pressure decrease during tiptoe exercise with a newly developed mathematic model. METHODS: Seventeen healthy limbs of 16 volunteers (normal group) and 35 limbs of 33 patients with signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency were studied. Seventeen limbs had superficial venous incompetence (SVI), and 18 showed deep venous incompetence with or without concomitant superficial venous reflux. All subjects were examined with ambulatory venous pressure measurements. As parameters obtained from serial phasic changes in pressure during tiptoe movements, the pressure reduction fraction per step (decreasing component) and the pressure increase per step (increasing component) were calculated with application of the mathematic hemodynamic model and assessed comparatively in the three groups with different types of reflux (normal, SVI, and deep venous incompetence group). RESULTS: The pressure increase per step was significantly different in each of the three groups (P <.0001, with analysis of variance), whereas no apparent difference was seen in the mean pressure reduction fraction per step among the groups. With addition of the inflation of ankle cuff, the value of pressure increase in limbs with SVI was significantly reduced (P =.0004, with Wilcoxon signed rank test), although no changes were seen in the pressure reduction fraction in each group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the pressure reduction fraction, representing calf muscle pump function, is independent of the existence or site of valve incompetence. On the other hand, the pressure increase, corresponding to the degree of reflux during exercise, correlates strongly with the severity of venous insufficiency. The theoretic model can separate the two components responsible for ambulatory venous pressure changes, calf muscle pump function and venous reflux, and provide better understanding of venous hemodynamics.     

Prevention or reversal of deep venous insufficiency by aggressive treatment of superficial venous disease

Background

This study of patients who received either aggressive or less-aggressive treatment for superficial venous disease was undertaken to determine its effects on deep venous insufficiency (DVI).

Methods

From 1998 to 2004, we treated 1,500 consecutive patients with superficial venous disease at our outpatient care center. A total of 100 patients were available for the study; the remaining patients were not available for the complete follow-up duplex scans 6 months after therapy, irrespective of the therapeutic results. Sixty-four patients underwent aggressive therapy, which included high ligation with partial selective perforation-invagination (PIN) axial stripping of the greater saphenous vein, ambulatory stab phlebectomy of the varicose veins, and transdermal treatment of the spider veins. Thirty-six patients underwent less-aggressive treatment, which included high ligation with selective partial PIN axial stripping of the greater saphenous vein and ambulatory phlebectomy of varicose vein clusters but no spider vein treatment.

Results

Follow-up duplex scanning after aggressive treatment of superficial venous disease showed improvement or complete reversal of DVI in the majority of patients. This improvement was defined as a marked decrease in the size of the deep veins in 80% of patients and a decrease of the reflux closure time of the deep venous valves in 83% of patients. Only 28% of patients receiving less-aggressive treatment without transdermal laser therapy of the spider veins showed improvement in their reflux valve closure time; the remaining 72% were unchanged or deteriorated.

Conclusions

Aggressive treatment of superficial venous disease can prevent or even eliminate deep vein insufficiency (DVI).     

Long-term results of venous thrombectomy combined with a temporary arterio-venous fistula

Forty-one patients with acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis were randomised to conventional anticoagulation or acute thrombectomy combined with a temporary arterio-venous fistula (AVF) and anti-coagulation. Follow-up after 5 years in 22 medical and 19 surgical patients revealed slightly more asymptomatic patients (37 vs. 18%) and less frequent severe post-thrombotic sequelae (16 vs. 27%) in the surgical group (N.S.). The iliac vein was more frequently (P less than 0.05) normal following thrombectomy (71 vs. 30%) as demonstrated by radionuclide angiography, but occlusion plethysmography showed an outflow capacity (61 vs. 45 ml/min/100 ml) that was not significantly better. There was no obvious difference in muscle pump function (EVrel) and reflux (Q/EVrel) assessed by foot volumetry. Still, the ambulatory venous pressure was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower in the surgical group. There was a tendency towards better results following thrombectomy in patients with fresh thrombosis and a successful initial procedure. Although the numbers of observations in many cases were too small to provide statistical evidence of benefit with venous thrombectomy + AVF, this procedure seems to improve the long-term outcome following acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis. Since the difference in outcome is not very striking, anticoagulation treatment is still an acceptable alternative.     

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目的分析下肢深静脉瓣膜修复成形术治疗下肢深静脉瓣膜功能不全的临床疗效。方法对下肢原发性深静脉瓣膜功能不全的101例116条肢体实施股静脉瓣膜外修复成形术,并利用静脉功能不全评分、双向彩超、流速剖面图彩超技术和空气体积描记仪(APG)等方法对其疗效进行分析。结果随访率87.9%,随访病例症状消失,96.1%的肢体浅静脉曲张消失无复发。13例溃疡肢体中有11条在术后3～6个月溃疡消失,2条明显缩小。术前Ⅲ度返流肢体术后90%以上静脉瓣膜功能达Ⅱ度以下,67.6%的瓣膜功能恢复正常或接近正常;静脉功能不全评分从术前15.33±1.83改善到术后5.07±0.60(P<0.01);术前Ⅳ度返流肢体术后80%以上静脉瓣膜功能达Ⅱ度以下,40.5%的瓣膜功能恢复正常或接近正常,静脉功能不全评分从术前17.38±2.67改善到术后7.25±1.12(P<0.01)。51例58条肢体经流速剖面图彩超检查示,术后静脉返流量均值比术前明显减少(P<0.01);经APG检测术后VFI均值比术前明显减少(P<0.01)。结论下肢深静脉瓣膜外修复成形术能有效地治疗深静脉瓣膜功能不全,并可大大改善血流动力学指标,对静脉性溃疡也有一定的疗效。     

The role of air plethysmography in monitoring results of venous surgery.

The development of an objective, noninvasive method to assess the hemodynamic effects of venous surgery has long been awaited. Previous methods used to evaluate the results of surgery for varicose veins and venous stasis ulceration have been limited in their quantitative assessment. Now, by use of air plethysmography (APG), we can accurately quantify the effectiveness of corrective venous surgery. Twenty-five extremities that had evidence of venous insufficiency were examined with use of APG before and after venous surgical procedures. Surgery was directed at specific sites of venous incompetence as defined by physical examination and high-resolution duplex imaging. Twenty-one extremities underwent ligation and stripping of the greater saphenous vein. In these patients, APG showed an improvement in venous reflux as demonstrated by a decrease in the venous filling index from 6.6 +/- 0.7 ml/sec to 1.8 +/- 0.3 ml/sec (p = 0.0001) and venous volume from 177.1 +/- 14.5 ml to 139.2 +/- 8.9 ml (p = 0.0008). In addition, these patients showed a mild improvement in calf muscle pump function as noted by an improvement in ejection fraction from 45.8 +/- 2.0% to 50.8% +/- 2.5% (p = 0.07). The residual volume fraction decreased from 45.0% +/- 3.4% to 42.0% +/- 3.7%, a difference that was not statistically significant (p = 0.4). Four extremities with grade III chronic venous insufficiency underwent popliteal vein valve transplantation with use of an autogenous axillary vein valve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Deep venous reconstructive surgery

Surgical correction of deep venous reflux is a valuable adjunct in treatment of selected patient with lower limb venous ulcer. Deep venous obstruction and superficial reflux is must be corrected first. Sustained venous ulcer healing and reduced ambulatory venous hypertension can be achieved in patients with both primary and secondary deep venous insufficiency. When direct valve repair is possible, valvuloplasty is the best option, but when this is not feasible, other techniques can be used, including femoral vein transposition into the great saphenous vein, vein valve transplant, neovalve construction, or nonautologous artificial venous valve.     

Severity and location of venous valvular insufficiency: the importance of distal valve function

Venous calf pump function was evaluated with special reference to distribution and severity of deep venous reflux at different levels. A combination of ultrasonography, foot volumetry and venous plethysmography was used in 100 consecutive patients, 32 of whom were also studied with phlebography and intravenous pressure measurements. A clear relationship was found between clinical stage of chronic venous insufficiency and number of segments with reflux. Clinically important deep venous insufficiency was found particularly in patients with reflux in the distal posterior tibial veins, even in the presence of competent popliteal valves. The results demonstrated the calf pump to be functionally divided into a series of pumps, with the distal part more important than the proximal. The importance of evaluating venous valvular function at different levels for adequate assessment of venous calf pump function is emphasized.