VIDEO ASSISTED ACCESS TO THE SUBFASCIAL SPACE OF THE LEG

Minimally invasive surgery, involving tiny incisions and the use of scopes or computers to visualize the operative area, has rapidly gained popularity because of the reduced pain, reduced stress and shorter recovery periods it provides for patients. The evolution of endoscopic techniques has led to the development of a promising minimally invasive surgical alternative: endoscopic interruption of perforating veins. This technique permits access to the subfascial space of the leg and the rapid, direct exposure, identification, and interruption of the perforating vein system through small incisions that are remote from the region of the compromised tissue. Since the modern general surgeon should be able to explore endoscopically, to make working space and to operate into the potential anatomical spaces, subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery may be a useful technique to gain the expertize necessary to achieve skill in approaching an anatomical compartment (i.e., the subfascial space of the leg) in a minimally invasive fashion.