To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy (RFITT) in the treatment of lower extremity varicosity.

Forty-two varicose veins in 38 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided RFITT were analyzed. The paired t-test was used to evaluate the efficacy of the procedure at 1, 3, and 6 months after RFITT, and the side effects during and after the procedure were documented.

Thirty-two of thirty-eight patients achieved clinical cure, three achieved partial cured, and one patient had no improvement. The total effective rate was 97.37%. The scores of varicosity before RFITT and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the procedure were 14.27±9.36, 9.20±6.87, 7.86±4.02, and 4.53±4.22, respectively, and a significant difference was observed at each time point after RFITT compared with the value before the procedure (P=0.032, 0.015, 0.007). During the follow-up, two patients had localized skin burn and three patients had sensory disorder, but all these patients fully recovered within 3 months. Two patients had pigmentation and did not obtain fully recovery at the end of the study. No major complications occurred.

Ultrasound-guided RFITT is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive therapy for lower extremity varicosity.