The CEAP classification for chronic venous disorders (CVD) was developed in 1994 by an international ad hoc committee of the American Venous Forum (AVF), endorsed by the Society for Vascular Surgery and incorporated into "Reporting standards in venous disease" in 1995. Today most published clinical papers on CVD use all or portions of CEAP. Rather than have it stand as a static classification system, an ad hoc committee of the AVF, working with an international liaison committee, has recommended a number of practical changes which are detailed in this consensus report. These include: refinements of several definitions used in describing CVD; refinement of the C-classes of CEAP; addition of the descriptor n (no venous abnormality identified); elaboration of the date of classification and level of investigation, and as a simpler alternative to the full (advanced) CEAP classification, introduction of a "basic" CEAP version. It is important to stress that CEAP is a descriptive classification, while venous severity scoring and quality of life scores are instruments for longitudinal research to assess outcomes.
