International Journal of Clinical Research

Objective This study aimed to compare the midterm clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and vein stripping in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), focusing on changes in the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) and the incidence of complications. Methods A prospective observational design was employed, enrolling 81 patients diagnosed with CVI at our institution between January 2021 and January 2024. Participants were categorized into an observation group (RFA, n=40) and a control group (vein stripping, n=41). The observation group underwent RFA using the Medtronic ClosureFast™ system, while the control group received conventional vein stripping surgery. Efficacy outcomes were evaluated during a 12-month postoperative follow-up period. Results At the 12-month follow-up, the observation group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in VCSS compared to the control group (P<0.05). The complication rate was lower in the RFA group (P<0.05), although no significant difference in recurrence rate was observed between groups (P>0.05). Conclusion RFA outperformed vein stripping in terms of VCSS improvement, reduced complications, and enhanced patient satisfaction, while maintaining comparable recurrence rates. These findings suggest that RFA may serve as a preferred minimally invasive treatment for CVI, though further long-term studies are warranted for validation.

Chronic venous insufficiency; Radiofrequency ablation; Vein stripping; VCSS score; Complications