A medical study published in the New England Journal of Medicine just a few days’ ago confirms what many vein experts already knew. Early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux results in faster healing of venous leg ulcers and more time free from ulcers than deferred endovenous ablation.
This answers the question that many patients ask: “If I have a leg ulcer, should I have my veins treated now, or should I wait until the ulcer is healed?”
You can read the study for yourself in full. But in summary, this is how the study was conducted. In a trial conducted at 20 centres in the United Kingdom, the investigators randomly assigned 450 patients with venous leg ulcers to receive compression therapy and undergo early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux within 2 weeks after randomization (early-intervention group) or to receive compression therapy alone, with consideration of endovenous ablation deferred until after the ulcer was healed or until 6 months after randomization if the ulcer was unhealed (deferred-intervention group). The primary outcome was the time to ulcer healing. The results were as follows: Early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux resulted in faster healing of venous leg ulcers and more time free from ulcers than deferred endovenous ablation.
So what does this mean? Quite simply, if you have a leg ulcer, don’t wait, get a duplex ultrasound scan performed and if you have reflux, get it treated promptly. That way, your leg ulcer will heal more quickly and your chance of getting another will be reduced.
If you would like our free information pack which summarises all important information about varicose veins, superficial venous reflux and leg ulcers, please send us an email or use our contact form on our website.
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