Capillary Filtration Rate,before and after Stripping of the Greater Saphenous Vein,Measured with Air-Plethysmography

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate whether there is a decrease in the capillary filtration rate after stripping of the greater saphenous vein, measured by air-plethysmography.

Design:

Prospective study.

Setting:

Academic Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Patients:

Fourteen lower limbs of 10 patients in which duplex ultrasound demonstrated insufficiency of the sapheno-femoral junction and of the greater saphenous vein, before operation.

Interventions:

Stripping of the greater saphenous vein.

Main outcome measures:

Capillary filtration rate before and 6 weeks after stripping of the greater saphenous vein, measured by air-plethysmography.

Results:

The capillary filtration rate after stripping of the greater saphenous vein had decreased in 12 legs and increased in two legs. The mean capillary filtration rate before operation was 6.58 ml/min (SD 1.97). Six weeks after stripping of the greater saphenous vein the mean capillary filtration rate was 5.54 ml/min (SD 1.22). These values have a level of significance of p < 0.01.

Conclusion:

The significant decrease of the capillary filtration rate, 6 weeks after stripping of the greater saphenous vein, measured with air-plethysmography, signifies an improvement in the microcirculation, related to the filtration function of the capillaries.