Surgery of varicose veins on ambulatory basis. Early and late results.

Varicose veins resection on a day-case basis has the advantage of the early return of the patient to his usual activities, thus also reducing the cost and occupation of hospital beds. Between 1980-1992, 1710 patients (2325 extremities) were operated on as outpatients. The preoperative management included: clinical examination, Doppler ultrasounds, Duplex scanning, ambulatory venous pressure and phlebography. The surgical method was based on two axioms: resection of affected segments only, and functional operation according to the hemodynamic parameters. At the end of the first trimester, 1.572 (91.9%) patients showed satisfactory results. One to twelve years later 72.1% with surgical therapy alone and 82% in combination with sclerotherapy. The serious complications were injury in 2 cases, one of the common peroneal nerve and the other of the posterior tibial artery. In conclusion, patients with varicose veins may be operated as outpatients with good results.