The Clinical Outcomes of Radiofrequency Ablation for Patients with Varicose Veins of the Lower Extremities Combined with Grade II Iliac Vein Compression.

BACKGROUND Iliac vein compression (IVC) is a common condition in patients with varicose veins (VVs) of the legs. IVC has been classified into three grades in prior studies. Grade II IVC is defined by > 50% stenosis without the development of collateral circulation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with VVs combined with grade II IVC. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted for 339 patients who underwent RFA for VVs of the left leg between March 2017 and January 2019. Duplex ultrasound, CTV and venography were performed to demonstrate grade II IVC. All the patients were divided into two groups: group 1, patients with VVs only; and group 2, patients with VVs combined with grade II IVC. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to ensure an even distribution of confounders between groups. The venous clinical severity score (VCSS) and chronic venous insufficiency questionnaire (CIVIQ) score were recorded during the 12-month follow-up. Occlusion of the truncal veins was evaluated with duplex ultrasound scans. RESULTS Based on 1:1 PSM, 50 pairs of patients were enrolled in the analysis. The average ages of the two groups were 58.7±13.1 and 60.1±7.1. The VCSS decreased significantly from baseline to 12 months postoperatively (group 1, 5 to 1; group 2, 4 to 1; P<0.01). There was a significant difference in the CIVIQ score between baseline and 12 months (group 1, 62.5 to 69; group 2, 63 to 70; P<0.01). The truncal occlusion rate was 98% in both groups at 12 months. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the VCSS, CIVIQ score, procedure complications or occlusion rate during the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION RFA is effective for patients with varicose veins combined with grade II iliac vein compression.