The Recurrence of Varicose Veins After Surgery

Abstract

After having performed at least two thousand varicose vein operations, I have come to the conclusion that despite careful preoperative diagnosis and meticulous surgery, there are some patients who develop recurrences.

Barlow in 1948 ¹ stated that varicose veins is a progressive degenerative dis ease. Surgical treatment is directed at eliminating all discernable varicosities. However, since the disease is naturally progressive, some degree of recurrence is inevitable. Therefore, all patients should be followed ad infinitum.