In the past many methods for the surgical treatment of varicose veins have been used. Among these, the most favored have been high ligation with retrograde injection and, in more recent years, the complete-stripping procedure. In order to evaluate these two common surgical procedures for varicose veins, we made the comparative study to be reported here. Background Information Certain background information is essential to a proper understanding of the basis of this study. The surgical treatment of varicose veins during the past few decades has gone through a cycle of methods-from radical dissection and extirpation; through extraluminal and intraluminal partial stripping, injections with sclerosing solution, high ligation with or without retrograde injections, and multiple-level ligations, to modern complete stripping. Madelung,1in 1884, advocated extirpation of the greater saphenous system with ligation of the communicating veins through a long incision in the thigh and leg. This was a formidable procedure,