The Impact of Age on the Outcomes Following High Ligation and Stripping for Lower Extremity Venous Insufficiency: A Cohort Study.

Abstract

Background: Varicose veins represent a pathology with a frequent number of cases that require surgical treatment. High saphenous ligation and stripping is still a feasible surgical intervention in selected cases. The present study aims to identify age as a prognostic factor after high saphenous ligation and stripping. Material and Methods: The cases of patients admitted between 2016 and 2023 with varicose disease for which high ligation and stripping were performed were prospectively analyzed. 167 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, being divided into two groups: Group I 114 patients under 60 years of age and Group II 53 patients over 60 years of age. Patients were followed in the postoperative period at 1 month and 6 months, respectively, and data were collected using several questionnaires: CEAP, VAS, VCSS and AVVQ. Results: Class 4, according to the CEAP classification, was the most frequently involved regardless of age category (Group I: 49.12%, Group II: 49.06%), followed by class 2 (Group I: 41.22%, Group II: 35.85%). In the preoperative period there were statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding VAS (p = 0.041) and AVVQ (Group I: 12.51 +- 6.11, Group II: 11.11 +- 7.19, p = 0.036). There were no significant statistical differences between the two groups (p = 0.744) regarding the preoperative VCSS questionnaire. At 6 months after surgery, the improvement in VCSS and AVVQ was independent of age. Conclusions: The surgical intervention of high ligation and stripping of the saphenous vein is a safe and feasible operation that can be performed in selected cases and is not influenced by the age of the patients.