Factors that influence venous leg ulcer healing and recurrence rate after endovenous radiofrequency ablation of incompetent saphenous vein

Objective: Endovenous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the most popular techniques for correcting superficial vein reflux. However, the effectiveness of RFA of superficial vein reflux in patients with active or healed venous leg ulcer (VLU) is unknown. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to evaluate the healing rate, the recurrence rate, and the factors significantly associated with healing and recurrence in patients with active or healed VLU who had superficial venous reflux treated with RFA.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all healed VLU or active VLU patients treated with RFA at the Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, during January 2011 to December 2017 to evaluate the rate of VLU healing and recurrence. Time to healing and time to ulcer recurrence were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Risk factors were assessed to determine their association with VLU healing and recurrence by Cox regression survival analysis.

Results: RFA of the great saphenous vein (n = 56), anterior accessory saphenous vein (n = 5), or both (n = 1) was performed on 62 limbs with active (n = 32) or healed (n = 30) VLUs. The mean age of patients was 65.4 ± 9.8 years, and 80% were female. Deep venous insufficiency was present in 10 limbs (16%). Pathologic perforating vein was found in 17 patients (27%). Concomitant ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) of the pathologic perforating vein was performed in 12 limbs (19%). Concomitant phlebectomy was performed in 19 limbs (31%). The median follow-up time was 753 days after RFA. VLU healed in 31% of patients at 3 months, in 56% at 6 months, and in 66% at 1 year after RFA. Concomitant UGFS of the pathologic perforating vein was the only factor significantly associated with VLU healing (hazard ratio, 2.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-7.55; P = .037). VLU recurrence was found in 8% of patients at 1 year, in 14% at 2 years, and in 23% at 3 years after RFA. Deep vein reflux was the only identified risk factor for VLU recurrence (hazard ratio, 3.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-13.21; P = .042).

Conclusions: UGFS of the pathologic perforating vein at the time of RFA of saphenous vein reflux improved VLU healing. VLU recurrence was more frequent in patients with concomitant deep vein reflux. The authors suggest performing UGFS of the pathologic perforating vein at the time of RFA to improve VLU healing and monitoring of patients with associated deep vein reflux for ulcer recurrence.