Foam sclerotherapy for reticular veins of the dorsal hands: a retrospective review

Sclerotherapy off the Lower Extremities: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of Veins Treated on the Dorsal Hands and Chest

BACKGROUND

Few studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of treatment of cosmetic dorsal hand and chest/breast veins.

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively evaluate results of dorsal hand and chest vein foam sclerotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective chart review of dorsal hand and chest vein sclerotherapy patients at a dermatology practice was performed between January 2014 and April 2023.

RESULTS

Fifty-five patients (54 female and 1 male patients) with a mean age of 55.8 ± 10.5 (31-83) years underwent treatment. Mean number of sessions for dorsal hand ( n = 41) and chest ( n = 14) patients were 1.5 ± 0.9 (1-5) and 1.6 ± 1.2 (1-5), respectively. Both groups were predominantly treated with 0.2% sodium tetradecyl sulfate or 0.5% polidocanol foam. Rate of coagulum formation across all sessions in the dorsal hands and chest was 15.2% and 3.0%, respectively. Vein induration, edema, postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation, and persistent erythema were rarely seen. No patients experienced superficial venous thrombophlebitis, erosion/ulceration, telangiectatic matting, or neurologic side effects. Seventy-five percent and 63.2% of chest and hand patients, respectively, demonstrated significant clinical improvement at 3-month follow-up, although not systematically evaluated.

CONCLUSION

Foam sclerotherapy of dorsal hand and chest veins with detergent sclerosing agents is safe and effective with mild, self-limited adverse events.

Combination Approaches to Hand Rejuvenation: A Review of the Literature and Discussion

BACKGROUND

Various noninvasive/minimally invasive modalities for hand rejuvenation exist, and the efficacy and safety of these procedures as both monotherapy and same-day procedures is increasingly being studied.

OBJECTIVE

To review data on the efficacy and safety of hand rejuvenation modalities and suggest a practical combination approach for these procedures.

METHODS

The PubMed database was queried for peer-reviewed articles regarding hand rejuvenation techniques, including chemical peels, laser and light sources, sclerotherapy, autologous fat transfer, and injectable volumetric fillers.

RESULTS

Chemical peels have been studied the least, with most studies evaluating the use of fillers and laser/light-based devices. Most studies reported overall good results with high patient satisfaction. Satisfaction rates were lower in laser/light-based treatments compared with other modalities. Transient erythema, edema, or pain after procedures was common; most studies did not report serious postprocedure complications. Importantly, there was no significant increase in adverse effects after same-day procedures.

CONCLUSION

Using same-day procedures allows practitioners to address hand rejuvenation from different aspects, seems to improve outcomes, and reduces time spent in the office for patients. The authors suggest a practical framework for combining cosmetic approaches to achieve the most optimal outcome for hand rejuvenation.

Sclerotherapy in Aesthetic Medicine: Myths and Realities

BACKGROUND

Sclerotherapy is commonly performed for elimination of reticular and telangiectatic leg veins. There are several variations in practice, from the preparation to post-therapy directives.

OBJECTIVE

To critically examine the misconceptions of sclerotherapy for aesthetic indications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review assesses evidence for and against each of the most common myths regarding sclerotherapy for aesthetic indications.

RESULTS

Sclerotherapy can be safely used to treat veins in areas other than the lower extremities, with the exception of the face. Laser therapy is not superior to sclerotherapy for the treatment of small telangiectatic veins on the lower extremities. The type of syringe used to produce foam sclerotherapy is an important procedural consideration. After sclerotherapy, graduated compression stocking usage is a vital part of the procedure. Detergent sclerotherapy agents are similar, but not equivalent. Touch-up treatments after sclerotherapy should not be performed for 2 months post-treatment. Foam sclerotherapy does not have a high risk for air emboli. It is not advisable to treat the leg veins in "sections." Finally, one cannot reliably treat the telangiectatic veins without treating the feeding reticular veins for a satisfactory result.

CONCLUSION

Many aspects of sclerotherapy have existing evidence to dictate best clinical practice.

Hand Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review of Techniques, Outcomes, and Complications

BACKGROUND

Hand rejuvenation is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure for hand atrophy and aging. The objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the techniques, outcomes, and complications of surgical hand rejuvenation.

METHODS

A systematic review was undertaken using a computerized search. Publication descriptors, methodological details, techniques, outcomes, and complications were extracted. Articles were assessed using the MINORS and Cochrane instruments.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were included. Most studies were published in the last five years (51.6 percent) and were prospective case series (35.5 percent). The mean age of patients was 56 (range 21-82), while the mean sample size was 47 (range 10-220). The most commonly examined interventions were Radiesse (32.2 percent) and fat grafting (32.2 percent). Major complications were not observed in any study, while minor complications such as edema and pain were temporary. Injection techniques varied, however, the proximal to distal fanning technique and using a cannula was associated with a lower risk of complications. Both Radiesse and fat grafting had robust long-term esthetic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Hand rejuvenation is a safe and efficacious surgical intervention to reduce dorsal hand atrophy. Further studies are needed to compare the long-term outcomes of common interventions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Bilateral foam polidocanol sclerotherapy of great saphenous veins and their tributaries in synchronous procedure

Background

Chronic venous insufficiency is a highly prevalent disease. Advanced cases have high morbidity.

Objectives

To evaluate the risks and benefits of foam sclerotherapy in patients who underwent bilateral treatment of the great saphenous veins in a single procedure, in selected cases of advanced venous insufficiency.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 55 patients (110 limbs) with bilateral incompetence of the great saphenous veins who had undergone foam sclerotherapy treatment bilaterally, using a maximum dose of 20 ml of foam per patient and inelastic compression.

Results

In 81 (73.6%) of the 110 saphenous veins analyzed, occlusion was obtained in the first session. After a second session this figure rose to 106 (96.3%) and all 110 (100%) veins were occluded after three sessions. Bilateral occlusion of the great saphenous veins was achieved in 27 patients (50%) in one session, in 34 (62%) patients in two sessions, and in 55 (100%) patients in three sessions. At 42 days after sclerotherapy, there was complete ulcer healing in seven (63%) of the 11 patients with ulcers and partial healing in 3 (27%) of these patients. One patient (1.8%) had self-limited lipothymia and visual scotomas, 3 patients (5.45%) had skin spots, and 19 patients (34.5%) developed retained intravascular coagulum.

Conclusions

Bilateral foam sclerotherapy in a synchronous procedure is an option to be considered for treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs.

A Review of Hand Feminization and Masculinization Techniques in Gender Affirming Therapy

INTRODUCTION

Anatomical characteristics that are incongruent with an individual's gender identity can cause significant gender dysphoria. Hands exhibit prominent dimorphic sexual features, but despite their visibility, there are limited studies examining gender affirming procedures for the hands. This review is intended to cover the anatomical features that define masculine and feminine hands, the surgical and non-surgical approaches for feminization and masculinization of the hand, and to adapt established aesthetic hand techniques for gender affirming care.

METHODS

The authors performed a comprehensive database search of PubMed, Embase OVID and SCOPUS to identify articles on the characterization of masculine or feminine hands, hand treatments related to gender affirmation, and articles related to techniques for hand masculinization and feminization in the non-transgender population.

RESULTS

From 656 possibly relevant articles, 42 met the inclusion criteria for the current literature search. There is currently no medical literature specifically exploring the surgical or non-surgical options for hand gender affirmation. The available techniques for gender affirming procedures discussed in this paper are appropriated from those more commonly used for hand rejuvenation.

CONCLUSION

There is a dearth of literature addressing the options for transgender individuals seeking gender affirming procedures of the hand. Though established procedures used for hand rejuvenation may be utilized in gender affirming care, further study is required to determine relative salience of various hand features to gender dysphoria in transgender patients of various identities, as well as development of novel techniques to meet these needs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266. .

Global guidelines trends and controversies in lower limb venous and lymphatic disease: Narrative literature revision and experts' opinions following the vWINter international meeting in Phlebology, Lymphology & Aesthetics, 23-25 January 2019

Guidelines are fundamental in addressing everyday clinical indications and in reporting the current evidence-based data of related scientific investigations. At the same time, a spatial and temporal issue can limit their value. Indeed, variability in the recommendations can be found both among the same nation different scientific societies and among different nations/continents. On the other side, Garcia already published in 2014 data showing how, after three years in average, one out of five recommendations gets outdated (Martinez Garcia LM, Sanabria AJ, Garcia Alvarez E, et al. The validity of recommendations from clinical guidelines: a survival analysis. CMAJ 2014;186(16):1211–1219). The present document reports a narrative literature revision on the major international recommendations in lower limb venous and lymphatic disease management, focusing on the different countries’ guidelines, trends and controversies from all the continents, while identifying new evidence-based data potentially influencing future guidelines. World renowned experts’ opinions are also provided. The document has been written following the recorded round tables scientific discussions held at the vWINter international meeting (22–26 January 2019; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy) and the pre- and post-meeting literature search performed by the leading experts.

Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate: A Review of Clinical Uses

BACKGROUND

Sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) is Food and Drug Administration approved for treatment of varicose veins, but numerous other off-label applications have been reported.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical uses of STS, as well as efficacy and adverse effects.

METHODS

Review of studies searchable on PubMed from 1938 to 2016 describing clinical uses of STS to determine efficacy and adverse effects associated with various applications.

RESULTS

Sodium tetradecyl sulfate has shown efficacy in the treatment of varicose veins, telangiectasias, hemangioma, pyogenic granuloma, cherry angioma, Kaposi sarcoma, lymphangioma circumscriptum, digital mucous cyst, ganglion cyst, glomangioma, angiokeratoma of Fordyce, pseudocyst of the auricle, and verruca. Commonly reported side effects include pain, erythema, swelling, hyperpigmentation, telangiectatic matting, and ulceration. Serious side effects such as anaphylaxis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction have also been reported. Most sources were case reports and small prospective studies, as such the strength of data supporting many uses is limited by small sample sizes and lack of controls.

CONCLUSION

Although not always the most effective method of treatment in off-label usage, use of STS has been frequently selected for a variety of applications for reasons of simplicity, low cost, lack of availability of technologically advanced equipment, and intricacies related to anatomic location.

Acute Hand Ischemia Following Elective Venous Sclerotherapy for Dorsal Hand Varicose Veins

Venous sclerotherapy is an emerging cosmetic treatment option for dorsal hand varicose veins. Although venous sclerotherapy is considered a safe and effective procedure for treatment of venous malformations and varicosities in both the upper and lower extremities, inadvertent injection of the sclerosing agent into the arterial system has led to reported instances of acute ischemic events and distal limb necrosis. This is a rare but well-documented complication of lower-extremity venous sclerotherapy. Only 2 cases have been reported in upper-extremity venous sclerotherapy, both of which occurred during treatment of complex vascular malformations. We report an instance of acute, distal digit ischemia after elective venous sclerotherapy for a dorsal hand varicosity. As this procedure grows in popularity, it is essential for hand surgeons to be aware of this rare but potentially devastating complication.