TITLE:
Sclerotherapy as the Only Treatment for Varicose Veins
AUTHORS:
Moaath Al-Smady, Qutaiba AbuQuba, Ahmad Al-Saraheen, Basil Al-Azaideh, Malik Allahham, Zeenah Alsmady, Amjad Bani Hani
KEYWORDS:
Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Foam Sclerotherapy, Varicose Veins, Adverse Events
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
24,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a widespread and underdiagnosed condition that affects more than 20% of the general population. The most prevalent manifestation of CVI is varicose veins (VVs), which affect up to 25% of women and 15% of males. Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure used primarily in treating telangiectasias, reticular veins, and small varicose veins. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various sclerotherapy techniques in treating varicose veins-related complications. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational interventional study at Jordan University Hospital (JUH) from September 2022 to January 2023. The study involved patients with lower limb varicose veins, assessing their clinical response and monitoring potential treatment complications. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software version 21.0. Results: Of 567 patients with diagnosed VVs, 544 were female (95.94%), and 23 were male (4.06%). The primary complaints were pain and cosmetic concerns. Treatments included Foam Aethoxysklerol® 3% (polidocanol) and Micro-foam Aethoxysklerol® 1%. Improvement in symptoms was reported by 538 patients (94.89%). The most common adverse event was hyperpigmentation, reported in 120 patients (21.16%), followed by post-procedural pain in 104 patients (18.34%). Notably, one patient (0.18%) experienced deep vein thrombosis (DVT), one (0.18%) reported telangiectatic matting, and there were two cases (0.36%) of visual disturbances and one allergic reaction. Conclusion: Sclerotherapy is effective and safe for treating VVs with minimal adverse events. It is a viable standalone treatment, reducing complications linked to other methods like radiofrequency ablation and surgery.