The effects of foam sclerotherapy on ulcer healing: a single-centre prospective study

This prospective study of foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins aimed to determine the outcomes of treatment including ulcer healing and complication rates in our unit. Data were collected prospectively over a 10-year period and maintained on a database by our vascular sciences unit, which performed the planning and post-treatment venous duplex scans. Patients undergoing treatment due to venous ulceration were identified from this database. An initial cohort of patients underwent a follow-up scan and assessment at one year.

Patients were treated with foam sclerotherapy, in multiple sessions if required, to occlude all incompetent superficial veins greater than 3 mm in size. We used 3% sodium tetradecyl sulphate as our sclerosing agent, according to our departmental protocol, followed by a period of compression therapy. Patients underwent pre- and post-treatment scans to assess venous competence, the effects of treatment and any complications that arose.

We identified 336 patients treated for clinical, aetiological, anatomical and pathophysiological stage 5/6 venous ulceration. At six weeks post-treatment, 21% had fully healed ulcers and a further 46.1% were clinically improving with no further venous incompetence. The remainder continued treatment. An initial cohort of 162 patients was assessed at one year and 77.1% ulcers remained healed. The remainder demonstrated some venous incompetence and ultimately 12.5% required further treatment. Our complication rates were similar to those quoted in published meta-analyses including a deep vein thrombosis rate of 1.16%.

Foam sclerotherapy remains a useful treatment option for venous ulceration with a low morbidity rate.