Abstract
Objective:
To assess the effectiveness of preoperative compression hosiery in reducing blood loss during surgery for varicose veins and improving cosmetic results.
Setting:
Vascular Surgical Unit, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, West Midlands, UK.
Design:
Randomized, single-blind, prospective, controlled trial.
Patients:
Thirty-nine patients with varicose veins in 50 legs.
Intervention:
Group A, the control group (n = 19), were given compression stockings on the first postoperative day after the bandages were removed. Group B, the study group (n = 20), used compression stocking 24 h before surgery as well as in the postoperative period. The surgical procedure was standardized.
Main outcome measures:
Blood loss, weight of veins removed, operation time and cosmetic result after 6 weeks.
Results:
In group B, patients were noted to have reduced blood loss, a shorter operation time and a greater weight of avulsed veins. Poor cosmetic results were recorded in group A.
Conclusions:
Preoperative emptying of veins by using a compression stocking is useful in reducing blood loss and improving the cosmetic result after routine varicose vein surgery.
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