The current management of cervico-cephalic venous malformations

Venous malformations are often detected at birth and progressively increase in size if not treated. They can have severe aesthetic and functional consequences. Our purpose is to evaluate therapeutic results with Ethibloc. From 1982 to 1994, we have been using Ethibloc injections under fluoroscopic control in a group of 421 patients with malformations in cervicofacial veins. The diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical examinations as well as by using CT and MRI. In addition, 40 patients had a diagnostic angiogram. The therapeutic procedure consisted of direct puncture and opacification of venous the basis of lakes before injection of Ethibloc. Two hundred patients have been analyzed. In 139 patients treated with Ethibloc alone, the venous malformations were reduced significantly in size in 64%, while we obtained good results in 67% of the 61 patients treated with a combined procedure (Ethibloc followed by surgical excision). In those, Ethibloc effectively prevented extensive blood loss during surgery and delineated the malformations. Minor complications occurred such as fever or aseptic superficial abscesses. Ethibloc is safe, has no neurotoxicity, is efficient can be repeated many times and facilitates surgery. It must be used as the therapy of choice in venous malformations.