[Chronic venous insufficiency 7 to 10 years after partial vena cava interruption with a clip].

In order to test the responsibility of inferior vena cava clips in post thrombotic venous disease, we performed a comparative retrospective study 7 to 10 years after vena cava interruption by clip. Patients were compared with patients matched for sex, age, and prior deep vein thrombosis (same period and same localisation) but without inferior vena cava partial interruption. The results show that 1) functional complaints were significantly higher in the vena cava clip group; 2) valvular incompetency, in the initially thrombosed leg, (tested by scanning duplex) was not different in the two groups: 3) inversely, on the other leg, valvular incompetency was greater in the vena cava clip group. Furthermore this valvular incompetency was principally located at a femoral level, suggesting that the vena cava clip may induce backward thrombosis; 4) complications were independent of vena cava thrombosis.