Korean J Dermatol.  2008 Sep;46(9):1194-1200.

Sclerotherapy in the Treatment of Congenital Venous and Lymphatic Malformation: Efficacy and Safety with Long-term Follow-up

• Lee JC
• Kim HY
• Choe YS
• Lee SJ
• Kim DW
• Chung HY
• Baik SK
• Lee JM
• Huh S

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Surgical excision and alcohol sclerotherapy have been used to treat congenital vascular malformations (CVM) with a significant success rate but the methods have also left marked morbidity. The alternative, sclerotherapy using ordinary sclerosants, although resulting in trivial complications, has a relatively low cure rate and is rarely used in Korea for CVM management.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects and side effects of sclerotherapy using ordinary sclerosants such as polidocanol (POL) and sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) for the treatment of CVM of a venous and lymphatic type.
METHODS
To confirm the long-term effects and safety with at least a 3-year follow-up, we chose a total of 26 patients who had undergone sclerotherapy between 2000 to 2004. There were 22 venous malformations (VMs) and 4 lymphatic malformations (LMs) which were rather small and superficial, not beyond muscular fascia. Sclerotherapy using POL and STS was performed by blind intraluminal and/or intralesional injection without the aid of imaging methods such as ultrasound examination. The results were evaluated by the patients' subjective satisfaction, physical examination, comparison of photographs and/or radiological examinations, then they were classified into 4 groups; excellent (improvement >75%), good (50~75%), fair (25~49%) and poor (<25%).
RESULTS
Twenty two VMs comprised 14 in the excellent group (66.7%), 6 in the good group (25.0%), 1 in the fair group (4.2%) and 1 in the poor group (4.2%). Two LMs of macrocystic type revealed excellent results but the other two showing microcystic type revealed poor results. The dose of sclerosant was 0.1 to 2 ml in every session and a total of 1 to 6 sessions (average: 2.2) were performed. Only one VM showed hyperpigmentation as a side effect.
CONCLUSION
Sclerosants for ordinary varicose vein eradication can be used on the treatment of small and superficial venous malformations and macrocystic-lymphatic malformations with relative efficacy and safety.

Keyword

Follow-up; Lymphatic malformations; Sclerotherapy; Venous malformation

MeSH Terms

Fascia
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperpigmentation
Injections, Intralesional
Korea
Physical Examination
Polyethylene Glycols
Sclerosing Solutions
Sclerotherapy
Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate
Varicose Veins
Vascular Malformations
Polyethylene Glycols
Sclerosing Solutions
Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate