Abstract
The ‘silastic sling’ procedure described by Psathakis for the treatment of deep vein reflux was performed on 12 patients. All had severe symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency which had not been controlled by compression therapy or previous superficial vein surgery. Duplex scanning, photoplethysmography and ambulatory venous pressure measurements were performed preoperatively and at 3-monthly intervals postoperatively. There was one death from massive pulmonary embolism. No other complication was recorded. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 18 months. There has been clinical improvement in eight cases with complete healing of ulcers in six. Two cases have shown an improvement in ambulatory venous pressure measurements, but the refilling times, measured by photoplethysmography, are unchanged in all cases. Duplex scanning postoperatively has shown that the popliteal vein remains patent.
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