Endovenous ablation of incompetent truncal veins and their perforators with a new radiofrequency system. Mid-term outcomes

Abstract

This is a prospective trial investigating endovenous radiofrequency ablation with the EVRF® system for the treatment of symptomatic varicose veins. Primary endpoints include one-year anatomical and clinical success and procedure-related complications. Secondary endpoints include adjunctive procedures and recanalization rates, periprocedural pain assessment, and time return to normal activities. In 60 patients with 74 limbs, 58 great saphenous vein, 11 small saphenous vein, 2 anterior accessory saphenous vein, and 3 perforators were ablated. Additional ablations for further improvement were necessary in 28.4%. Clinical success was 94.6%. Anatomical success was 96.0% at one month and 89.2% at one year. Primary ablation success was 77%. Revascularization occurred in 12.1%. Clinically driven repeat ablation rate was 4.0%. Perforator ablation due to segmental revascularization was performed in 5.4%. Complications included one puncture-site infection, three scars, two cases of transient paresthesia, and one skin pigmentation. Periprocedural mean pain score was 2.4 ± 2.6. In 27.0% cases, the patients used analgesics and mean time return was 1.2 ± 0.5 days. The EVRF® system yields satisfactory clinical and anatomical midterm outcomes with very low complication rates.