الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Varicose veins are a very common problem all over the world. Surgery has been the gold standard treatment for many years, however now other less invasive options are available and sometimes more efficient.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiofrequency ablation technique in treatment GSV varicosities and to compare the results, clinical outcome, complications and recurrence rate after radiofrequency and conventional stripping of GSV. In this study thirty patients with varicose veins were randomized to conventional surgery and another 30 patients underwent radiofrequency ablation of the great saphenous vein in Mansoura University Hospitals.Conventional surgery was done by the usual groin incision and stripping under spinal or general anesthesia while the radiofrequency ablation was done under local (tumescent) anesthesia helped by sedation (Deprivan) in some patients, using the EVRF (EndoVenous Radiofrequency) device.Operative time was significantly less in convetional surgery patients compared to radiofrequency maneuver.Three, six and twelve months post intervention follow up using clinical examination and duplex imaging were used to asses outcome and detect complications and recurrence rate.No major complications were detected after both techniques; however minor post-operative complications like parathesia and ecchymosis were significantly less after radiofrequency ablation.Post operative pain, duration of analgesic use and time needed to return to normal activity were also significantly less in radiofrequency group than conventional stripping group.Partial recanalization of GSV was detected in three patients (10%) after radiofrequency maneuver but with no recurrence of symptoms.This study proved that radiofrequency ablation technique is a safe and efficient in treating varicose veins however long-term results and cost effectiveness need further evaluation.Conclusion: Duplex guided radiofrequency ablation is an efficient and a safe modality in the treatment of great saphenous vein varicosities. Short-term outcomes show superiority of radiofrequency compared to surgery in aspects of anesthetic choice, post-operative pain, complications and patient’s satisfaction. Long term outcome, durability of the treatment and cost effectiveness are yet to be evaluated.