Medical Physics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Medical Physics, including details on medicine, radiotherapy, biomechanics, medical imaging.

Percutaneous sodium tetradecyl sulfate sclerotherapy for peripheral venous vascular malformations: a single-center experience.

Tan KT, Kirby J, Rajan DK, Hayeems E, Beecroft JR, Simons ME

Division of Interventional Radiology, Medical Imaging Department, University Health Network, 585 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2N2, Canada.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of percutaneous sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) sclerotherapy for peripheral venous vascular malformations (VVMs). Materials and Methods A retrospective review of a prospectively compiled database was performed to identify patients with a VVM who were referred from 1997 to 2004. Of the 132 patients identified, 78 underwent sclerotherapy. Six of the 78 patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 72 patients (24 male and 48 female patients; mean age, 31.7 years; age range, 14-62 years), 42 (58%) had lower limb VVMs, 19 (26%) had upper limb VVMs, and nine (12%) had truncal and/or central VVMs. Two patients (2.8%) had multifocal lesions. Seven of the 72 patients (9.7%) had Klippel-Trénauney syndrome. Treatment response was assessed clinically and by means of lesion size measurement with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Results A total of 226 treatment sessions were performed (mean, 3.1 sessions per patient; range, 1-13 sessions). The mean follow-up was 41 months (range, 21-84 months). After treatment, 11 patients (15%) became asymptomatic, 20 (28%) rated the response to therapy as good, 17 (24%) improved, 20 (28%) were unchanged, and four (5.6%) worsened. Thirty-five patients underwent MR imaging before and after treatment. The size of the VVM was seen to decrease in 19 patients (54%), be unchanged in 11 (31%), and increase in five (14%). A reduction in lesion size at MR imaging did not necessarily correlate with a positive clinical response. Overall, patients with infiltrative lesions had a poorer outcome than did those with localized lesions. There were no major complications and seven minor complications (3.1% per session, 9.7% per patient). Conclusions An improvement in symptoms was observed in 70% of the patients with VVMs treated with percutaneous STS. Although the treatment is safe, complete cure is unusual and multiple treatment sessions are almost always required.

Published 22 March 2007 in J Vasc Interv Radiol, 18(3): 343-51.
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