Comparison of Manual Compression Release with Distal Pneumatic Cuff Maneuver in the Ultrasonic Evaluation of Superficial Venous Insufficiency

BackgroundVenous reflux can be elicited either manually or by pneumatic tourniquet, and previous studies did not indicate any significant difference between these manoeuvres in patients with superficial venous insufficiency (SVI).PurposeTo investigate if two methods correlate in patients with CVI.Materials and MethodsVenous reflux was studied in 94 venous segments of 57 limbs in 52 consecutive patients with SVI. Limbs were divided into two groups: group I (CEAP C2–C3) and group II (CEAP C4–C6). A colour duplex scanner was used to determine quantitative venous reflux at the sapheno–femoral junction (SFJ), at the sapheno–popliteal junction (SPJ), and in the greater saphenous vein in the thigh (GSV). Patients received both manual compression and cuff deflation method in eliciting venous reflux. The parameters assessed were the duration of reflux (second) and the peak reflux velocity (cm/s).StatisticsPaired t–test was used to evaluate differences between the two methods. Statistical significance was recorded when the p–value was