At 2-year follow-up, UGFS was not inferior to surgery when reflux associated with venous symptoms was the clinical outcome of interest. UGFS has the potential to be a cost-effective approach to a common health problem. Registration numbers: NCT01103258 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) and NTR654 (http://www.trialregister.nl).

In a 6-week trial, duct tape had a modest but nonsignificant effect on wart resolution and diameter reduction when compared with placebo in a cohort of primary school children.

In patients with PLTP varicosities, USGS is very successful, with very few side effects. No deep venous anomalies were found in our study, which conforms to the literature.

Many patients (91%) that undergo a short stripping procedure will have a persistent reflux of the remnant below knee GSV tributaries postoperatively. This incompetence of the distal GSV is independent from the proximal GSV as well from insufficient perforating veins. There seems to be a tendency to worsening of the clinical signs and symptoms between 6 months and 2 years after surgery, and this goes along with an increase of reflux and diameters of the GSV below knee remnants.

This study shows that reflux in the GSV below knee level after the short-stripping procedure persists in all below-knee GSV branches. Approximately 20% of patients with visible varicose veins in the GSV area below the knee level will have visible varicose veins in this area 6 months after the short-strip procedure. These clinical and ultrasonic residual varicose veins are not significantly related to the presence of preoperative IPV.