In a long-term follow-up after operation for primary varicose vein disease, patients were revisited 5, 10 and 15 years after their operation, in an attempt to define the goal of the treatment and the result. The results were analyzed as well as those factors which had a significant influence on the findings at assessment. The long-term results were good with respect to the patient's self-judgement and relative to improvement of trophic disturbances, especially of venous ulceration, however recurrent superficial varicose veins increase significantly with increasing follow-up time. The outstanding role of incompetent communicating veins is discussed with respect to trophic disturbances and recurrent varicose veins.