The Success and Safety of Endovenous Ablation in Patients With Previous Superficial Venous Thrombosis

Objectives: Retrospective case–control study to determine the failure and endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) rates of endovenous ablation (EVA) in patients with a history of superficial venous thrombosis (SVT).Methods: Study and control groups each consisted of 73 patients with or without the history of SVT, who underwent EVA between June 2010 and July 2012. All patients were followed with venous duplex ultrasound. Procedural failure and EHIT rates were considered primary outcomes.Results: There was no difference in EHIT or failure rates between study and control groups ( P = 1.00). There was no difference in EHIT or failure rates between patients with and without the history of venous thromboembolism (VTE), with and without the history of VTE and/or SVT, with and without the history of thrombophilia, and on and off anticoagulation for either group or the combined study population. For the combined study population, failure rate was higher in patients with a history of VTE.Conclusions: Although EVA seems to be safe and effective in patients with a history of SVT, vein access in this patient group might require multiple attempts.