Thrombosis of the saphenous vein stump after varicose vein surgery

We evaluated thrombus extension in the proximal stump of the saphenous vein at 6 days, 4 weeks, and 16 weeks after saphenous vein surgery performed between July 2013 and March 2014 (18 patients, 29 limbs, and 31 stumps) using duplex ultrasonography. All thrombotic events were classified as endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT). Thrombus was observed in 27 stumps (87.1%), with only four (12.9%) stumps remaining without thrombus on postoperative day 6. Thrombus as EHIT class 2 was observed in one stump and as EHIT class 3 in another; in the remaining 25 stumps, it was observed as EHIT class 1 postoperatively. No further extension of thrombus was found at 4 and 16 weeks after surgery. The rate of thrombus formation in the proximal stump of the saphenous vein after conventional surgery is comparatively higher than that after thermoablation techniques. Further studies are required to determine adequate evaluation methods and appropriate therapies for stump thrombosis after varicose vein surgery. (This article is a translation of J Jpn Coll Angiol 2015; 55: 105–110).