Venaseal: a good solution in the treatment of severe superficial venous insufficiency in very elderly patients

• Autor(a) principal: Machado,Marta
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Machado,Miguel, Matos,Arlindo, Machado,Rui
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1646-706X2021000300246
• topic: venaseal; eldery; Venous cronic disease; Varicose veins

Abstract Introduction: Chronic venous disease is a prevalent condition that worsens with age and is associated with poor quality of life. The treatment of varicose veins (VV) has multiple alternatives, and different practices across Europe. The aim of this article is to analyze the treatment of very elderly patients with severe forms of chronic venous disease using the VenaSeal technique. Method, Material and Results: Report of 5 very old patients with severe venous insufficiency treated with VenaSeal in 2021. Clinical case 1: A 86-year-old woman, with untreated bilateral varicose veins and recurrent ulcers, was observed in consultation, complaining of severe pain in left leg with an doppler ultrasound (DUS) showing bilateral great saphenous vein (GSV) insufficiency. An outpatient basis treatment of the left great saphenous vein with VenaSeal associated with phlebectomies was performed in the left side. After 6 months of follow-up, she is asymptomatic with small areas of repermeabilization of the proximal trunk of GSV. Clinical case 2: A 85-year-old man was observed in consultation describing two episodes of varicorrhagia in his right leg and and DUS with bilateral great saphenous vein insufficiency. An outpatient basis treatment of the right great saphenous vein with VenaSeal associated with varicose veins foam esclerotherapy DUS guided was performed. After a 3-month follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic with the imaging control showing occlusion of the trunk of the great saphenous vein. Clinical case 3: A 97-year-old woman was observed in consultation complaining of severe pain in left leg associated with an ulcer with severe interference with her quality of life and a DUS with bilateral great saphenous vein insufficiency. An outpatient basis treatment of the left great saphenous vein with VenaSeal associated with varicose veins foam esclerotherapy DUS guided was performed. After a 2-month follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic with a healed ulcer, with the DUS control showing occlusion of the great saphenous trunk. Clinical case 4: A 95-year-old woman was observed in consultation describing bilateral severe pain and ulcers in both legs and DUS with bilateral great saphenous vein insufficiency. An outpatient basis treatment of bilateral great saphenous vein with VenaSeal associated with varicose veins foam esclerotherapy DUS guided was performed. After 1-month follow-up, she is asymptomatic with healed ulcers and has occlusion of the right GSV´s trunk and areas of repermeabilization of left GSV´s trunk. Clinical case 5: An 84-year-old woman was observed in consultation with severe pain and severe pruritus of the left leg and a DUS with left GSV insufficiency. An outpatient basis treatment of the left GSV with VenaSeal associated with phlebectomies was performed. After 1 month of follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic with occlusion of the proximal left GSV´s trunk. Discussion /Conclusion: Treatment with Venaseal is not considered in the 2015 Guidelines of the ESVS, however the VeClose Study compared VenaSeal with radiofrequency ablation and reported equivalent improvement in symptoms scores and GSV occlusion. VenaSeal treatment doesn´t require use of elastic compression after surgery and allows return to routine activity immediately, so it may be a good therapeutic option in this age group of patients with high clinical risk. In our experience, VenaSeal resulted in complete resolution of the symptoms and ulcers in the short term. However, a complete occlusion of GSV was not observed in all cases, so new studies and protocols doses can be necessary.