The incidence of PFO-RLS in patients with varicose veins of the lower extremities

Objective To study and evaluate the incidence of patent foramen ovale（PFO） and intracardiac right-to-left shunt（RLS）in the patients with varicose veins of the lower extremities. Methods From March 2023 to August 2024, 86 consecutive patients with varicose veins of the lower extremities were admitted to Cixi People’s hospital, and 57 of them who agreed to take foam sclerotherapy were selected for PFO-RLS test. Results Of the 57 patients, a total of 23 patients were positive for PFO with an incidence of 40.4% (95% CI: 27.2%-53.5%) and a total of 22 patients were positive for RLS with an incidence of 38.6% (95% CI: 25.6%-51.6%). The incidence of PFO was higher than the reported incidence in the general population, which is 26%. There were no serious complications such as pulmonary embolism or stroke occurred in all patients after surgery. Conclusions The incidence of PFO-RLS in patients with varicose veins of the lower extremities in this study was higher than that of expected in the general population. Patients with lower extremity varicose veins should be aware of the associated neurological complications when choosing sclerotherapy.