OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of small saphenous vein reflux (SSVR) in patients with uncomplicated varicose veins, using color-flow Doppler ultrasonography. METHOD: Over an 18-month period, a total of 1,953 patients underwent color-flow Doppler ultrasonography for evaluation of venous disease. Out of the total, 1,631 patients with primary uncomplicated varicose veins were selected for this study: 1,383 (84.79%) patients were female and 248 (15.21%) were male. Mean age was 42.9 (± 0.48) years, ranging from 13 to 85 years. Of the 1,631 patients, 1,323 underwent bilateral examination and 308 unilateral examination, for a total of 2,954 lower limbs with primary uncomplicated varicose veins studied. The number of right lower limbs studied was 1,461 and the number of left lower limbs was 1,493. All exams were carried out using the same protocol. RESULT: Out of the total number of 2,954 limbs, SSVR was detected 372 (12.59%) limbs. Prevalence of SSVR in males was 14.08% and in females was 12.35%. SSVR was detected in the right lower limb in 12.05% and in left lower limb in 13.13% of the cases. SSVR was significantly more common in patients older than 60 years. CONCLUSION: SSVR is relatively common and its presence should always be investigated in patients with primary lower limb varicose veins.
Saphenous vein; varicose veins; ultrasonography
