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The role of compression after endovenous ablation of varicose veins.

Authors :: Al Shakarchi J
Wall M
Newman J
Pathak R
Rehman A
Garnham A
Hobbs S
Source :: Journal of vascular surgery. Venous and lymphatic disorders [J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord] 2018 Jul; Vol. 6 (4), pp. 546-550. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Apr 19.
Publication Year :: 2018
Abstract: Objective: The aim of this review was to identify the evidence regarding the optimal duration of compression therapy after endovenous ablation of varicose veins.<br />Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies assessing the use of compression after endovenous ablation in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The primary outcomes for this study were pain score and complications. Secondary outcomes were time to full recovery, quality of life score, leg circumference, bruising score, and compliance rates.<br />Results: Following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, five studies were included in our review, including a total of 734 patients. The short-duration compression therapy ranged from 4 hours to 2 days, whereas the longer duration ranged from 3 to 15 days. A single study showed a better outcome in terms of complications with a short compression therapy. A single study showed a benefit to pain and quality of life with extended compression therapy, whereas the others did not. There was no significant difference in terms of bruising, recovery time, and leg swelling.<br />Conclusions: Our review showed that there is no evidence for the extended use of compression after endovenous ablation of varicose veins.<br /> (Copyright © 2018 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)