Common femoral endovenectomy with iliocaval endoluminal recanalization improves symptoms and quality of life in patients with postthrombotic iliofemoral obstruction.

BACKGROUND

The postthrombotic syndrome is a debilitating condition occurring in 30% to 50% of patients with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Following iliofemoral DVT, however, postthrombotic morbidity is especially severe, due to occlusion of the common femoral vein (CFV) and iliac veins. While endoluminal recanalization appears effective in restoring patency to the iliac venous system, infrainguinal obstruction of the CFV remains a problem. The purpose of this study is to report preliminary observations of common femoral endovenectomy and intraoperative endoluminal recanalization of the iliac veins in patients with incapacitating postthrombotic iliofemoral obstruction.

METHODS

Ten patients underwent common femoral endovenectomy with endoluminal iliocaval recanalization. The Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), a validated tool to assess chronic venous disease, the Villalta scale, a validated tool to quantify postthrombotic syndrome, the clinical classification of CEAP, and the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study-Quality of Life (VEINES-QOL)/Sym questionnaires were completed preoperatively and readministered postoperatively at 8.8 months (mean).

RESULTS

Five patients were followed for more than 6 months and form the basis of the long-term analysis. All demonstrated significant improvement in their venous scores postoperatively. The VCSS preoperatively was 17 and fell to 9.8 postoperatively (P = .02). The Villalta scale dropped from 13.6 preoperatively to 6.0 postoperatively (P = .002). The VEINES-QOL/Sym questionnaire, a sensitive marker of patient quality of life and symptom status, was improved (P = .01 and .02, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Chronic postthrombotic iliofemoral venous obstruction treated with common femoral endovenectomy and endoluminal recanalization improves objective outcome measures of patients with chronic postthrombotic obstruction. By restoring unobstructed venous drainage through the CFV to the vena cava, patients' postthrombotic morbidity is reduced and quality of life is improved.