Treatment of congenital venous avalvulosis using a surgically created autogenous vein valve.

A patient with venous valve hypoplasia resulting in chronic venous insufficiency is presented and a method of surgical correction by creation of an autogenous femoral vein valve described. A saphenous vein segment was opened posteriorly and inverted cephalad into the common femoral vein to construct a monocuspid vein valve. At 1 month after operation the patient experienced significant symptomatic improvement. The valve was patent and competent when assessed by Doppler venous examination but slight incompetence was shown by Valsalva's manoeuvre. This procedure appears to be a useful technique for the correction of deep vein reflux caused by venous valve aplasia and hypoplasia but requires further short- and long-term investigation.