A Quantitative Study of Long Saphenous Vein Morphology in Patients Undergoing Arterial Surgery

Objective: To quantify the incidence and extent of structural changes present in the long saphenous vein of patients with arterial disease. Design: Observational study of sephenous vein morphology. Setting: Departments of Surgery and Pathology, Leicester Royal Infirmary. Patients: Sixty vein biopsies from patients undergoing arterial surgery. Main outcome measures: Intimal and medial thickness and morphology. Results: Smooth muscle cell hyperplasia, elastosis and fibrosis contributed to intimal thickening (> 10 mu m) in 87% of veins. This was frequently associated with medial longitudinal muscle hypertrophy. Intimal thickness had a skewed distribution with a median (range) of 33 (8-381) mu m. The upper limit of the normal range was 200 mu m. The median (range) medial thickness was 293 (131-468) mu m. Conclusions: Intimal thickening is common in the long saphenous vein of patients undergoing arterial surgery but is extensive in only a small proportion. The upper limit of the normal range was 200 mu m.