Comparison of one-year outcomes and quality of life between radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation in the treatment of lower extremity varicose veins: A retrospective cohort study

Objective: This study compared the outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (EMA) for treating lower limb varicose veins. Methods: Patients who underwent RFA (n = 240) or EMA (n = 209) at our institute from December 2020 to August 2022 were included in this retrospective investigation. Follow-up outcomes included active vein occlusion rate, Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), the Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), and Chronic Insufficiency Venous Quality of Life questionnaire-14 (CIVIQ-14)score. Results: There was no significant difference in the active vein occlusion rate between the two groups after the operation (p > .05). Compared to pre-surgery scores, both groups showed substantial improvement in VCSS, AVVQ, and CIVIQ-14 scores(p < .05), there was no significant difference in these scores in either group (p > .05). Conclusion: Intravenous radiofrequency and microwave ablation effectively improve the quality of life for patients with lower limb varicose veins, with low post-operative complication and recurrence rates.