Sclerotherapy for venous malformations

Sclerotherapy is a mainstay in the treatment of venous malformations (VMs). Indications for sclerotherapy of VMs include symptoms such as pain, swelling, hemorrhage, or dysfunction of adjacent organs. Ethanol and detergent sclerosants (for example polidocanol and ethanolamine oleate) are amongst the sclerosants used to treat VMs. To increase the volume and effect of detergent sclerosants, they may be mixed with gas to form a foam. The predictors of a good response after sclerotherapy may be small size, a well-defined margin, and good stasis of sclerosant during sclerotherapy.