Comparative clinical efficacy between bandage pressure therapy and elastic stocking treatment after endovenous radiofrequency ablation.
Caijuan Geng, Junyu Zhang, Wei Zeng et al.
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In 30 seconds
This prospective, single-centre randomised trial compared elastic stockings with multilayer bandage compression for 48 hours after radiofrequency ablation in 210 patients with duplex-confirmed great saphenous vein incompetence (C2–C5). Minor differences in early postoperative complications favoured stockings. Patients assigned stockings returned to work sooner than those assigned bandages (2.11 ± 1.19 days vs 4.39 ± 2.55 days, p < 0.01). At one month, satisfaction and changes in quality-of-life and venous clinical severity scores did not differ significantly between groups.
Key findings
- Return to work was earlier with stockings than bandages: 2.11 ± 1.19 days vs 4.39 ± 2.55 days (p < 0.01).
- Minor between-group differences in pain, ecchymosis, edema, and itching favoured elastic stockings.
- One-month satisfaction and changes in CIVIQ-14 and VCSS scores showed no significant between-group differences.
Why it matters
Postprocedural compression is used to manage recovery after RFA, and the choice of method may affect early symptoms and return to usual activities. This trial suggests that 48-hour elastic stocking use can shorten time away from work compared with multilayer bandaging, while longer-term patient-reported outcomes were similar. The findings help frame the trade-offs between these compression approaches.
What to keep in mind
The trial was conducted at a single centre, and follow-up was limited to one month.