Objective: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of five different treatment approaches in patients with a great saphenous vein (GSV) diameter of ≥10 mm. Methods: A total of 697 extremities of 671 patients who were diagnosed with a GSV diameter of ≥10 mm underwent conventional surgery or endovenous therapy for symptomatic varicose veins between January 2012 and January 2017 were included in this retrospective study. All extremities included in the study were divided into five groups as follows: high ligation + stripping (HLS), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cyanoacrylate closure (CAC), endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) procedures at 980 nm and 1,470 nm wavelengths. Results: Among all groups, despite lower recurrence rates in HLS group than the other groups, there was no significant difference at 6 months and 1 year among the HLS, EVLA at 1,470 nm wavelength, and RFA groups. The recurrence rates of EVLA at 980 nm wavelength and CAC groups were found higher than other groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study results show that although HLS seems to be an effective method for the treatment of a GSV diameter of ≥10 mm with a low recurrence rate, it does not statistically significantly differ from EVLA at 1,470 nm wavelength and RFA. Therefore, we believe that EVLA at 1,470 nm wavelength and RFA can be preferred over HLS with low pain scores in this patient population.

Context: Both copper and betanin have been implicated as having significant bioactivity against ischemic damage in a variety of experimental and clinical settings. The aim of this study is to investigate whether betanin and copper have any protective effect on spinal cord in an ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) model in rats. Design: Spraque-Dawley rats were used in four groups: Sham group (n = 7), control group (laparotomy and cross-clamping of aorta, n = 7), betanin treatment group (dosage of 100 mg/kg of betanin administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) 60 min before laparotomy, n = 7), copper sulfate treatment group (administered copper sulfate i.p. at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day for 7 days before laparotomy, n = 7). Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay was also performed to evaluate apoptosis. Setting: Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine, Kars, Turkey. Results: I/R injury was successfully demonstrated with the surgical model. Betanin and copper treatment significantly decreased MDA levels, MPO activity and the number of apoptotic cells in the spinal cord. Betanin and copper treatment significantly increased GSH levels. Copper treatment significantly increased SOD activity, whereas betanin was not as effective. Apoptotic cells were significantly decreased in both treatment groups. Conclusion: I/R injury of the spinal cord can be successfully demonstrated by aortic clamping in this surgical model. Betanin/Copper sulphate has ameliorative effects against operative I/R injury. Low toxicity of those agents makes them ideal targets for clinical research for this purpose.

Diagnosis and treatment of small saphenous vein (SSV) insufficiency is of utmost importance for relieving chronic venous insufficiency symptoms. To investigate the efficacy and safety of five different treatment approaches among patients with SSV insufficiency. Two-center retrospective clinical study, conducted at cardiovascular surgery clinics in a local training and research hospital and a state hospital. A total of 282 extremities of 268 patients with SSV insufficiency alone who were treated for symptomatic varicose veins between January 2012 and January 2017 were included in the study. All extremities included in the study were divided into five groups as follows: high ligation + stripping; radiofrequency ablation (RFA); cyanoacrylate closure (CAC); and endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) at the wavelengths 980 nm and 1,470 nm. Although the recurrence rate at six months was similar among the treatment groups, we found significant differences in recurrence rates at one year, with lower rates in the CAC, RFA and 1,470 nm EVLA groups, compared with the other treatments (P = 0.005). No sural neuritis was observed in the CAC group. The pigmentation rate was higher in the two EVLA groups (980 nm and 1,470 nm). Our study results showed that although CAC, RFA and EVLA at 1,470 nm seemed to be effective methods for treating SSV insufficiency alone, CAC and RFA had better aesthetic results than EVLA at 1,470 nm. We consider that endovenous non-thermal techniques for treating SSV insufficiency may be preferable because of relatively low risk of nerve injury.

Objective: The injury-reducing effect of acetaminophen, an effective analgesic and antipyretic on ischemia-reperfusion continues to attract great attention. This study analyzed the protective effect of acetaminophen on myocardial injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion in an experimental animal model from lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomized into three groups (n=8) as (i) control group (only laparotomy), (ii) aortic ischemia-reperfusion group (60 min of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion) and (iii) ischemia-reperfusion + acetaminophen group (15 mg/kg/h intravenous acetaminophen infusion starting 15 minutes before the end of the ischemic period and lasting till the end of the reperfusion period). Sternotomy was performed in all groups at the end of the reperfusion period and the heart was removed for histopathological examination. The removed hearts were histopathologically investigated for myocytolysis, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) infiltration, myofibrillar edema and focal hemorrhage. Results: The results of histopathological examination showed that acetaminophen was detected to particularly diminish focal hemorrhage and myofibrillar edema in the ischemia-reperfusion + acetaminophen group (P<0.001, P=0.011), while there were no effects on myocytolysis and PMNL infiltration between the groups (P=1.000, P=0.124). Conclusion: Acetaminophen is considered to have cardioprotective effect in rats, by reducing myocardial injury induced by abdominal aortic ischemia-reperfusion.