Superiority of varicose vein surgery in the avoidance of groin recurrences

The principle of crossectomy, which emerged in the surgical treatment of saphenous vein insufficiency, has not yet been taken into account in the endovenous treatment of varicose veins. Current publications of controlled studies and meta-analyses showed almost uniformly that groin recurrences occur significantly more frequently after endovenous treatment than after an operative procedure. This observation underlines the importance of the principle of crossectomy for the long-term result in the treatment of saphenous vein insufficiency. The results from the current literature require a reassessment of varicose vein surgery in relation to the competing endovenous treatment options, in which the principle of crossectomy cannot be implemented.