Extravascular effects of sclerosants in rabbit skin: a clinical and histologic examination

Sclerotherapy refers to the injection of a material for the purpose of obliterating a blood vessel. During this procedure a small quantity of sclerosing solution may be unintentionally injected into the tissues surrounding the vessel, either by missing the vessel or leakage of sclerosant upon withdrawal of the needle. Occasionally, the sclerosant may be intentionally injected into an extravascular site in the hope of reducing telangiectatic mats (best described as multiple, grouped, extremely fine telangiectatic vessels). The various sclerosants in use appear to vary in their potential to cause necrosis of perivascular tissues as a complication. This study examines the clinical and histologic effects of the intradermal injection of 0.1 ml of 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0% Aethoxysklerol (AES); 0.5% Sotradecol (SOT); and 23.4% hypertonic saline (HS) in rabbit skin. All three agents produced some clinical necrosis with intradermal injection. AES in all three concentrations produced the least clinical necrosis, no histologic necrosis, and resolved faster than SOT or HS.