Resolution of the professional community of phlebologists regarding the examination of patients before minimally invasive interventions for varicose veins of the lower extremities

To date, modern outpatient minimally invasive interventions for varicose veins, such as endovenous laser or radiofrequency ablation, microphlebectomy, sclerotherapy, non-thermal non-tumescent methods (NTNT), are widely introduced into clinical practice in the Russia. In the approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in 2021 clinical guidelines "Varicose veins of the lower extremities" they are recommended as preferred over open surgery. At the same time, there are no federal regulations of preoperative examination of patients before these minimally invasive procedures for varicose veins. That is why the medical community is often forced to prescribe unnecessary diagnostic tests on the "just-in-case" principle, in order to protect itself for cases of complications and subsequent checks. This undoubtedly harms both the patients and the medical service, which has an additional useless and inappropriate burden. The purpose of the round table held on September 28, 2021 under the auspices of the Self-Regulatory Organization “The National College of Phlebology” together with the legal partner “The Faculty of Medical Law LLC” (Moscow), was to review the existing legislation on this issue and then to prepare a resolution regarding the justified preoperative examination of patients before minimally invasive interventions for varicose veins of the lower extremities. The prepared document consists of two parts. The first part presents the legal regulation of the diagnostic tests before interventions in phlebology. The second part contains the opinion of the professional community regarding the appropriateness or inexpediency of different pre-procedural examinations. In addition, based on the conclusions of legal analytics, a form of order of the chief physician has been developed, which regulates the diagnostic tests before the considered phlebological interventions in the clinic.