Ethanol Sclerotherapy of Superficial Venous Malformation: A New Procedure

Abstract

Background: Superficial venous malformations (SVM) are the most frequent vascular malformations. Outpatient percutaneous treatment with ethanol injection has rarely been described. Objective: To analyze the results from treating SVM patients with ethanol sclerotherapy. Methods: 81 patients were followed up prospectively over a median period of 18 months. 47 were female and 34 were male with a median age of 21 years. Most of the lesions were located in the limbs and the main symptom reported was pain. Each patient underwent fortnightly alcohol injection sessions. Results: The lesions and the symptoms completely disappeared or improved in 77 patients. There were no complications in 64 patients, while 11 presented a small skin ulcer, 3 hyperpigmentation and 3 paresthesia. Conclusion: Ethanol sclerotherapy for SVM patients was effective, with a low complication rate.

Venous malformations: clinical diagnosis and treatment

“…This could indicate superior results with ethanol and numerous other studies have published similar findings (50,56,(73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78).…”

Comparison between absolute ethanol and bleomycin for the treatment of venous malformation in children

“…If there was no further lesion increase, the treatment was ended. If the dosage was excessive, the anhydrous ethanol would flow back to the feeding artery, leading to skin and tissue necrosis (5,11,16). Therefore, it is essential that the dosage of anhydrous ethanol is selected on the basis of tumor size.…”

“…The effects of laser therapy are limited and this technique is only effective in patients with small superficial tumors. Recently, interventional sclerotherapy has become the main method of treatment (4,5). Common sclerosing agents include foam sclerosing agents, polidocanol, sodium tetradecyl sulfate, anhydrous ethanol and bleomycin.…”

Management of Palatal Vascular Malformation Using Absolute Ethanol Sclerotherapy

“…2,3 These lesions are treated by variety of techniques over the years, including surgical excision, irradiation, electrocoagulation, cryotherapy, intravascular magnesium or copper needles, systemic corticosteroids, interferon-α, embolization, cryotherapy, lasers and sclerotherapy. 4,5,6 Sclerotherapy is an effective, conservative and low cost technique for the treatment of benign vascular lesions, included vascular malformation.…”

“…4,5,6 Sclerotherapy is an effective, conservative and low cost technique for the treatment of benign vascular lesions, included vascular malformation. 3 The sclerosant agents used are 5% sodium morrhuate, sodium psylliate, quinine urethrone, 5% ethanolamine oleate, 1% polidocanol, sodium tetradecil sulfate, and hypertonic saline. 6 …”