Assessment of posterior accessory great saphenous vein of the leg using ultrasonography: a preliminary study

Purpose To assess the frequency and anatomic distributionsof the posterior accessory great saphenous vein of theleg (PAGSVL) and its insufficiency rate using ultrasonography(US) in patients who presented with clinical,etiologic, anatomic, and pathophysiologic (CEAP) scoresof 1 and above.Methods A prospective US study on 200 limbs of 100consecutive patients with CEAP scores of 1 and above.Results Right PAGSVL was seen in 45 % (45 cases),whereas left PAGSVL was seen in 54 % (54 cases) of thepatients [49.5 % (99 limbs) in total] (p\0.05). PAGSVLinsufficiency was present in 6 % (6 cases) of the patients [6limbs in total (6.06 %)]. The type of PAGSVL joining tothe great saphenous vein (GSV) was above the knee levelin 4 % (4 limbs), at the knee level in 14 % (14 limbs), andbelow the knee level in 74 % of patients (74 limbs). Therelationship between posterior tibial perforators andPAGSVL was seen in 3.03 % of cases (3 limbs). There wasno statistically significant relationship between PAGSVLinsufficiency and the presence of posterior tibial perforators(p = 0.55) or between the presence of PAGSVL andthe GSV insufficiency.Conclusion PAGSVL was seen in half of the limbs withCEAP scores of 1 and above. The frequency of PAGSVLwas more common in the left limbs than the right limbs.There was no statistically significant relationship betweenthe presence of PAGSVL, GSV insufficiency, and differentCEAP scores. The PAGSVL often joined to the GVSbelow the knee, but could also join above the knee.