Varicose veins of lower limbs: about a series of 52 patients operated on in Dakar

Seance of wednesday 26 february 2003 (SEANCE A DAKAR (SENEGAL))

Abstract

Varicose vein disease is considered rare among black people. Nevertheless,it represents 6.52% of our practice. This retrospectivestudy reviews some epidemiological factors, clinical features andsurgical results in a series of 52 patients operated on between 1989and 1998.All patients suffered from troncular varicose veins of the lowerlimbs diagnosed by Doppler imaging of the deep venous system. Apostoperative elastic socking was used.The average age was 31 +/- 10 years with a sex ratio of 1.88. Thevaricose veins were “essential” among 50 patients (96.15%) andmalformative in 2 (3.85%). The risk factors were mostly multiparity(23.07%) and professional exposure (15.38%). The deep venoussystem was permeable in all patients. Operative indications werebased on functional symptoms (59.61%), the occurrence of complications(36.53%) and esthetical concerns (15.38%). The internalsaphenous vein was involved in 64.86% of the cases, the external in25.67%, the accessory in 4.05% and the communicating veins in5.42%. Surgical procedures included stripping (58.34%), varicoseveins ligating (3.12%), the association of both (37.50%) and crossectomy(1.04%). Three postoperative cases of hematomas wererecorded. With an average follow-up time of 7 years, and accordingto Ayachi’s classification, we noted 82.70% of excellent results,13.46% of good results and 3.84% of fair results, and 2 recur rences.Varicose venous disease exists in Senegal. Surgery combined toelastic stocking and venous hygiene provides excellent results.