Recurrent varicose veins: a national problem.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Negus.
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PURPOSE: The clinical diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is unreliable. Contrast phlebography (CP) continues to be the gold standard, but it is invasive. Although duplex ultrasonography is an accurate, noninvasive alternative, it is expensive, technically demanding, and time-consuming. We postulated that light reflection rheography (LRR), a noninvasive method of assessing the quantity and rate of venous emptying, might be a reliable and inexpensive bedside approach to screening patients with clinically suspected DVT. METHODS: With LRR, infrared light is beamed onto the skin, and the amount of backscattered rays are detected, which indirectly measures the amount of blood present in a volume of the epidermis beneath the LRR probe. Applied to the calf muscle pump, LRR can provide a noninvasive method of assessing blood volume changes in the sample area of skin, in response to venous hemodynamic changes in the lower limb. RESULTS: Sixty-nine limbs in 61 patients undergoing CP for clinically suspected DVT over a period of 12 months also underwent LRR, either just before or within 24 hours of undergoing phlebography. The criteria for diagnosing DVT on CP were presence of filling defect or nonfilling of a venous segment. The result of LRR was considered positive for DVT if the rate of venous emptying was 0.35 or less. With these criteria a sensitivity of 96.4% and specificity of 82.9 were obtained. This resulted in a positive predictive value of 79% and a negative predictive value of 97.1%. CONCLUSIONS: LRR is a simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive bedside test that takes 10 minutes to perform. It is highly sensitive with a high negative predictive value, detecting most cases of DVT, reliably ruling out DVT, and eliminating the need for more time-consuming and costly studies. Therefore it seems to be an appropriate screening test in patients with clinically suspected DVT.
Above-knee graduated compression stockings are effective in preventing postoperative deep vein thrombosis, but are more expensive and less acceptable than below-knee stockings. One hundred and fourteen patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to wear above-knee or below-knee graduated compression stockings. Deep vein thromboses were diagnosed by isotope uptake in three of 56 patients (5.4 per cent) in the above-knee group and one of 58 patients (1.7 per cent) in the below-knee group. These differences are not statistically significant. Results suggest that below-knee stockings are as effective as above-knee in the prevention of postoperative deep vein thrombosis.
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Venous ulcers are related to incompetence of the direct calf and ankle perforating veins, the majority of which follow deep vein thrombosis. Prevention of the latter by intravenous micro-dose heparin (1 unit/kg/hour) is effective, safe and inexpensive. Its efficacy has been proved in two controlled clinical trials. Venous ulcers have been treated by perforating vein ligation, with saphenous ligation and stripping where necessary, and with the addition of permanent knee-length elastic compression stockings in patients with femoro-popliteal incompetence. This regimen has achieved a 92% long-term success rate in patients without rheumatoid arthritis.
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The importance of the direct perforating veins of the lower leg in the aetiology of venous ulceration is supported by the results of a 6-year study of 77 patients with 109 ulcerated legs. Incompetent perforating veins were demonstrated by examination and Doppler ultrasound, and confirmed at operation, in 108 legs. Subfascial ligation of these veins, with stripping of incompetent saphenous veins when necessary, was followed by elastic compression stockings in 44 legs (40 per cent) in which deep vein incompetence was demonstrated by non-invasive methods and phlebography. Some 91 ulcers (84.3 per cent) remain healed (76 per cent greater than 3-year follow up). Eight patients with rheumatoid arthritis in addition to venous incompetence had a 75 per cent failure rate. If these patients are excluded, 88 (92 per cent) of 96 ulcerated legs remain healed. It is submitted that these results support the argument for the importance of perforating vein incompetence in the aetiology of venous ulceration. They also suggest that a more optimistic attitude towards treatment is justified.
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Heparin (1 IU kg-1 h-1) given intravenously for 3-5 days during and after operation in a double-blind randomised study, significantly reduced the frequency of deep-vein thrombosis detected by 125I-fibrinogen uptake, and pulmonary embolism. 22% (11/50) control patients and 4% (2/45) patients receiving heparin had deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Heparin administration was not associated with any increase in preoperative or postoperative bleeding.
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