Sclerobanding (Combined Rubber Band Ligation with 3% Polidocanol Foam Sclerotherapy) for the Treatment of Second- and Third-Degree Hemorrhoidal Disease: Feasibility and Short-Term Outcomes

Background: Sclerobanding is a novel technique combining rubber band ligation with 3% polidocanol foam sclerotherapy for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease (HD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term outcomes of sclerobanding in the treatment of second- and third-degree HD. Methods: A retrospective analysis of second- and third-degree HD cases from November 2017 to August 2021 was performed. Patients on anticoagulants or with other HD degrees were excluded. Follow-up was conducted at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and then every 12 months. Results: 97 patients with second- (20 pts; 20.6%) and third-degree (77 pts; 79.4%) HD with a mean age of 52 years (20–84; SD ± 15.5) were included. Fifty-six patients were men (57.7%) and forty-one women (42.3%). Median follow-up was 13 months (1–26 months). No intraoperative adverse events or drug-related side effects occurred. Minor complications occurred in four patients (4.1%) in the first 30 postoperative days and all resolved after conservative treatment at the 3-month follow-up visit. No mortality or readmissions were observed. Conclusions: Sclerobanding is a safe technique with a low rate of minor postoperative complications. Further studies on larger samples are necessary to establish the effectiveness and long-term outcomes of the technique.

Association of great saphenous vein diameter and clinical severity score after treatment of severe chronic venous insufficiency with foam sclerotherapy

Objectives: to evaluate the association of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) diameter in the treatment of patients with severe chronic venous insufficiency (C6 CEAP classification) with ultrasound-guided polidocanol foam sclerotherapy (UGFS). Methods: A prospective, descriptive and analytical study of 28 patients (30 limbs) that underwent UGFS. Patients were divided into 2 subgroups by GSV diameter (< 8 mm and ≥ 8 mm). Variables analyzed were ulcer healing, clinical intercurrences, clinical CEAP classification, Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), diameter of the treated vein and presence of occlusion or recanalization by Doppler ultrasound. Patients were analyzed at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months post-treatment. Results: The average age was 68.7 ± 10.5 years, 23 (82,1%) were women, and the average body mass index was 29.2 kg/m2. Although an improvement in VCSS score was observed during follow-up, no significant intergroup difference was noted. Seventeen (56%) limbs presented occlusion of the treated vein at the 1st month, 11 (36%) at the 3rd month, and 9 (30%) at the 6th month of follow-up. The ulcer healing rate was 56,6%. The average ulcer healing time was 90 days. Three (10%) patients presented with ulcer recurrence at the 6th month. Survival analysis showed no significant difference in ulcer healing rate between subgroups after one year of follow-up (log-rank, p = 0,178). Conclusion: There was no difference between the subgroups of large and small VSM diameter in terms of symptom severity. However, significant reduction of VCSS and pain relief was observed after foam sclerotherapy.

The experimental rationale for new bleomycin-polidocanol mini-foam administration in the treatment of children with head and neck venous malformations

Relevance. Venous malformation (VM) is an abnormal development of the collecting blood vessels based on the vascular wall formation disorder, which occurs during the peripheral vascular network differentiation. According to various sources, VM prevalence ranges from 1 to 2 in 10 000 newborns. Head and neck VMs significantly reduce patients’ quality of life, causing severe functional and aesthetic impairments. Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment method for children with venous malformations. In recent years, bleomycin has been the most commonly used sclerosant. It is a glycopeptide antibiotic synthesized by Streptomyces verticillus and belongs to cytostatic medications. They successfully use it for venous malformations sclerotherapy, also in children. Purpose – the study aimed to improve the sclerotherapy method by combining the advantages of foam sclerotherapy and bleomycin.Materials and methods. 48 samples of rats’ external femoral veins were morphologically examined. We divided the rats into 2 groups depending on the administrated agent: the first group – 3% polidocanol (lauromacrogol 400), the second group – bleomycin-polidocanol mini-foam composition. The histological assessment identified the changes in the vein endothelium, necrosis of tissue structures, cell dystrophy characteristics.Results. The first group, which used the bleomycin-polidocanol mini-foam composition, demonstrated more pronounced irreversible changes in the venous vessel endothelium compared to the second group.Conclusions. The experimental study revealed that the proposed method of VM sclerotherapy using new bleomycin-polidocanol mini-foam composition is more effective than the polidocanol foam sclerotherapy. The new method is highly effective, minimally invasive, safe and can be considered an independent treatment method in children with head and neck VM.

Microfoam sclerotherapy of superficial venous malformations of the upper limbs

Venous malformations are the most common type of angiodysplasia, which cause both physiological and emotional discomfort to patients. Arteriovenous malformations occur most often in the upper and lower limbs at the ratio of 20.9% and 46.4%, respectively. On top of that, 70% of cases of superficial arteriovenous malformations are found in women. In this article, the authors present a clinical example of the effectiveness of microfoam sclerotherapy and show a long-term outcome in a patient with superficial venous malformations of her hands, which are accompanied with such symptoms as as pain and bleeding. As a sclerosing agent, a 1–3% sodium tetradecyl sulphate solution was used, followed by compression using class 2 garments (RAL standard) such as an arm sleeve and gloves. The interval between procedures was 4 to 6 weeks. After several sessions, the superficial venous malformations of the upper limb decreased in the size and volume, and the patient presented less complaints. A 5-year follow-up showed no growth of malformations and re-bleeding complications. Microfoam sclerotherapy of superficial venous malformations in the upper limbs (hands) has good long-term outcomes and allows patients to avoid traumatic surgery. Given this comparability of the surgical and minimally invasive techniques, the use of the latter option, in particular, the foam sclerotherapy technique, makes economic and financial sense.

Detection of residual varicose veins with near infrared light in the early period after varicose surgery and near infrared light assisted sclerotherapy

Objectives Varicose veins that cannot be seen with the naked eye can be easily detected with Near Infrared (NIR) light. With a minimally invasive procedure performed with NIR light guided, the need for reoperation is reduced, while optimal treatment of venous insufficiency and symptoms is provided. In this study, the detection of residual varicose veins after varicose vein surgery using NIR light and the results of treatment of sclerotherapy were investigated. Methods In this retrospective study, treatment and clinical outcomes of patients’ who underwent NIR light-guided foam sclerotherapy for Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology (CEAP) (C1, C2) stage residual varicose veins after surgical varicose treatment between 2014 and 2017 were examined. Data of patients who underwent foam sclerotherapy with NIR light were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 151 patients and 171 lower extremity varicose veins were treated with surgery. 55 (35.7%) of the patients were male, and 96 (62.3%) were female. Their age ranges from 20 to 64, with an average age of 45.38. 4 (2.6%) of the patients had phlebectomy. 137 of patients (90.7%) had ligation of perforated veins, phlebectomy, and great saphenous vein (GSV) stripping, 10 of patients (6.6%) had GSV stripping, perforating vein ligation, phlebectomy, and small saphenous vein (SSV) surgery. No residual leakage was observed in the controls of GSV, SSV, and perforating veins by duplex ultrasonography (DUS). In the first month after varicose surgery, an average of 1.64 ± 1.05 sessions of sclerotherapy was applied to patients with CEAP C1, C2 stage residual varicose veins. 70 patients had one session of sclerotherapy, 37 patients had two sessions of sclerotherapy, 20 patients had three sessions of sclerotherapy, and 11 patients had four sessions of sclerotherapy administrated. The need for complementary therapy was required for all female patients; 13 of the male patients did not require complementary sclerotherapy. While single-session sclerotherapy was applied to most male patients (32 (58.18%), 10 (18.18%) patients received two sclerotherapy sessions. After completing sclerotherapy, 7 (4.63%) patients had superficial venous thrombosis, and 13 (8.60%) patients had hyperpigmentation. Conclusion Surgical treatment is a safe and effective technique in venous insufficiency. Nevertheless, residual varicose veins may remain, and these can be detected noninvasively with NIR light. Foam sclerotherapy with NIR light is a minimally invasive and safe treatment method for small residual varicose veins after the operation. We think that sclerotherapy with NIR light as a complementary treatment is a practical, reliable, and demanding treatment for clinical improvement, especially in female patients.