Treatment of venous leg ulcers with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy: Healing, long-term recurrence and quality of life evaluation

Sclerotherapy and its complications: a literature review and a case report

Hard-to-heal or recurrent leg ulcers can have multiple aetiologies. One of these is incompetent veins. The main focus of this article is to discuss the common treatment for venous leg ulcers with the use of sclerotherapy. This simple surgical procedure obliterates smaller veins and telangiectasia. Veins with larger diameters (varicosities) can be treated with ablation therapy. The intent of sclerosis or ablation therapy is to destroy the incompetent veins and allow the collateral circulation to improve venous return, decreasing venous hypertension, which then enhances skin closure, wound healing and the resolution of the ulcer.

Emerging High-Frequency Ultrasound Imaging in Medical Cosmetology

Cosmetic skin diseases are a part of many dermatological concerns brought up by patients, which negatively affect mental health and quality of life. Imaging technology has an established role in the diagnosis of cosmetic skin diseases by recognizing information on deep skin lesions. Due to the complex physiological and pathological nature of cosmetic skin diseases, the diagnostic imaging performance varies greatly. Developing noninvasive technology models with wide applicability, particularly high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), which is able to achieve high-resolution imaging of the skin from the stratum corneum down to the deep fascia, is of great significance to medical cosmetology. To explore the great potential of HFUS in cosmetic skin diseases, a narrative review of literature from PubMed and Web of Science published between 1985 and 2022 was conducted. This narrative review focuses on the progression of HFUS imaging in medical cosmetology, especially on its promising application in the quantitative evaluation and differential diagnosis of cutaneous pathological scar, port wine stain (PWS), acne, skin aging, and other cosmetic applications.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the management of incompetent perforators in patients with chronic venous insufficiency

OBJECTIVE

Incompetent perforator veins (IPVs) contribute to venous pathology and are surgically treated based on hemodynamic measurement, size, and Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological (CEAP) classification. The objective of this study was to systematically review and synthesize current literature regarding surgical management of IPVs, including open ligation, subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS), endovascular laser ablation (EVLA), ultrasound guided sclerotherapy (USGS), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

METHODS

English-language literature published prior to November 2021 was reviewed from the PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases for primary literature reporting safety and efficacy outcomes in the surgical treatment of incompetent perforating veins. Study quality and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for comparative studies and a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for non-comparative studies. A random effects model was used to pool effect sizes for efficacy outcomes of wound healing and freedom from wound recurrence.

RESULTS

A total of 81 studies were included for qualitative synthesis representing 7010 patients with a mean age of 54.7 years. Overall evidence quality was low to intermediate, with moderate to high risk of bias in comparative studies. There was an 11.3% complication rate across interventions, with no reported incidences of stroke or air embolism. With regards to efficacy, pooled estimates for short-term (up to 1-year) wound healing were 99.9% for USGS (95% CI 0.81 - 1), 72.2% for ligation (95% CI 0.04, 0.94) and 96.0% for SEPS (95% CI 0.79 -0.99). For short-term freedom from wound recurrence, the pooled estimate for SEPS is 91.0% (95% CI 0.3 - 0.99).

CONCLUSION

Current evidence regarding treatment of incompetent perforator veins is limited due to low adherence to reporting standards in observational studies and lack of randomization, blinding, and allocation concealment in comparative studies. Additional comparative studies are needed to guide clinical decision-making regarding invasive treatment options for incompetent perforator veins.

Comparative analysis of endovenous laser ablation versus ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for the treatment of venous leg ulcers

BACKGROUND

Endovenous thermal and non-thermal therapeutic approaches have become standard of care for the treatment of venous insufficiency. However, comparative studies on its use in the population of venous leg ulcer patients are scarce.

METHODS

The present study aimed at a comparison of the efficacy of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) for the treatment of venous leg ulcers (VUs). We retrospectively analyzed patient records of 68 patients with active VUs (C6 of the CEAP-classification), who underwent EVLA (n=33) or UGFS (n=35) between January 2001 and January 2021.

RESULTS

In 68 patients, 97 venous segments (GSV: 43, SSV: 17:, NSV: 37) were treated. Ulcer surface area at initial presentation did not differ significantly between both treatment groups (EVLA: 7.7±10.7 vs. UGFS: 8.5±16.3 cm² ; p=0.73). No significant difference regarding patient characteristics was found, with the exception of age, as patients receiving UGFS treatment were significantly older (EVLA: 61±17 vs. UGFS: 70±14 years; p=0.018). The rate of ulcer resolution was not significantly different between EVLA and UGFS groups (97.0% vs. 85.7%; p=0.20). Also, the mean time to complete ulcer healing after endovenous intervention was comparable (EVLA: 59±37 vs. UGFS: 63±41 days; p=0.68). However, the relapse rate was significantly higher for UGFS than for EVLA treated patients (31.4% vs. 3.0%; p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

Rates of ulcer resolution and ulcer healing time after endovenous intervention were comparable between both treatment modalities. However, a significantly higher relapse rate was observed in UGFS treated patients.

Incidence of Recurrent Venous Ulcer in Patients Treated at an Outpatient Clinic: Historical Cohort

The recurrence of venous ulcers is the wound reopening after a period of completed epithelisation of a previous ulcer due to exposure to causal factors and lack of prevention. Venous ulcers have a high recurrence rate that may increase through the years. Epidemiological evidence on its incidence and risk factors is scarce due to the lack of patient follow-up in outpatient clinics and adherence to treatment after healing. The objective was to analyze the incidence of venous ulcers recurrency in outpatients and the risk factors for its occurrence. It is an observational historical cohort with retrospective data collection, performed through electronic medical records. Setting: private health insurance outpatient clinic. The participants were adult patients with healed venous ulcers. Incidence of venous ulcer recurrence was calculated within individuals with healed ulcers from 2014 and 2018 with a follow-up of at least one year. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to explore risk factors considering demographic, clinical, and wound-related variables. As a result, sixty-five (65) of the 134 patients with healed venous ulcers had a recurrence, leading to an incidence of 48.5%, with a mean onset time of 230.1 (SD 267) days. Patients with recurrent venous ulcers were primarily women (39/48.1%), with a mean age of 64 (SD 15.5) years, 57 (50.8%) had some comorbidity, with systemic arterial hypertension as the most frequent (47/51%). Obesity (15/88.2%) increased the risk of venous ulcers recurrence by 8.7 (OR 95% CI 2.1-60.8; P = .009) times. In conclusion, venous ulcers recurrence incidence was 48.5%, with obesity as a risk factor. This study demonstrates that the clinical approach of people with venous ulcers should not finish when the wound is healed. For ulcer recurrence prevention interventions addressing systemic factors, besides topical management of the wound, are essential.

Challenges of treating mixed arterial-venous disease of lower extremities

INTRODUCTION

Mixed arterial-venous lower extremity disease (AVLED) poses a unique challenge for clinicians. This review will outline the impact mixed AVLED has on patients and the healthcare system, by reviewing its epidemiology, diagnosis, current treatment, and the challenges encountered implementing therapies.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

An extensive search of current literature from online sources, journals and book chapters identified the current challenges facing the treatment of mixed arterial venous ulcers of the lower extremities and potential solutions to these challenges.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The challenges that are identified in the search are the time to heal AVLED, patient education and motivation, early detection of AVLED, wound care center development, treatment consensus from multidisciplinary team members, and cost of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

AVLED ulcers are a challenging problem, but over time we have continued and will continue to improve patient care and tackle these difficult challenges as we have throughout the last century. A diagnostic algorithm to address how we approach these patients in terms of conservative care with wound care and compression and treat arterial and venous insufficiency is crucial. In looking to the future, continued standardization of wound care centers will overcome the social and financial challenges faced by patients and continued clinical research will improve targeted therapies and treatment challenges faced by physicians.

High-frequency ultrasound in clinical dermatology: a review

Background

Ultrasound was first introduced in clinical dermatology in 1979. Since that time, ultrasound technology has continued to develop along with its popularity and utility.

Main text summary

Today, high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), or ultrasound using a frequency of at least 10 megahertz (MHz), allows for high-resolution imaging of the skin from the stratum corneum to the deep fascia. This non-invasive and easy-to-interpret tool allows physicians to assess skin findings in real-time, enabling enhanced diagnostic, management, and surgical capabilities. In this review, we discuss how HFUS fits into the landscape of skin imaging. We provide a brief history of its introduction to dermatology, explain key principles of ultrasonography, and review its use in characterizing normal skin, common neoplasms of the skin, dermatologic diseases and cosmetic dermatology.

Conclusion

As frequency advancements in ultrasonography continue, the broad applications of this imaging modality will continue to grow. HFUS is a fast, safe and readily available tool that can aid in diagnosing, monitoring and treating dermatologic conditions by providing more objective assessment measures.

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for chronic venous disease with ulcer. A prospective multiple outcome cohort study

Background

Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) is the main cause of chronic leg ulcers. Varicose veins are the most frequent cause of venous leg ulcers (VLU). 50.9% of Brazilian women have varicose veins and ulcer prevalence is as high as 4%. Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) is a low-cost treatment option for varicose veins.

Objectives

To analyze UGFS outcomes in patients with VLU.

Methods

Prospective consecutive single center cohort study. Patients with great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux and VLU were treated and followed-up for 180 days. The following were studied: quality of life (QoL), disease severity, healing, and elimination of GSV reflux. The Aberdeen questionnaire, a venous clinical severity score, and Duplex scanning (DS) results were analyzed.

Results

22 patients aged 35 to 70 years were treated. There was improvement in quality of life, disease severity reduced, and ulcer diameter reduced (p < 0.001; ANOVA). 77.27% of VLU healed completely (95%CI: 59.76-94.78%). The dimensions of 20/22 VLU reduced (90.91%; 95%CI: 78.9-100%). GSV reflux was eliminated in 63.64% (95%CI: 43.54-83.74%). Men had greater QoL benefit and women had more complications. There were no severe complications. The VLU that had healed completely at the end of the study were smaller at baseline than those that did not completely heal. The GSV that were completely occluded at the end of the study were smaller at baseline than those that were not completely occluded (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney).

Conclusion

The results suggest that most patients benefited from UGFS.

A retrospective cohort study comparing two treatments for active venous leg ulcers

Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) have largely replaced traditional surgery for treatment of varicose veins (VVs) with active venous leg ulcers (VLUs), and multiple combined modes have emerged. A retrospective cohort study was performed to compare the effect of traditional surgery (high ligation and stripping followed with compression [compression plus HL-S]) to high ligation-endovenous laser ablation-foam sclerotherapy followed with compression (compression plus HL-EVLA-FS) on the treatment of active VLUs.Data of active VLUs treated in our center from 2008 to 2017 and followed up for 1 year were analyzed. The intervention measures in the first 5 years were compression plus HL-S, and in the following 5 years were compression plus HL-EVLA-FS. The primary outcome was ulcer healing time. The secondary outcomes were the VVs occlusion and clinical success as assessed by a change in venous clinical severity score (VCSS) and complications.The study included 120 patients and 200 patients treated with HL-S and HL-EVLA-FS, respectively, during 2008 to 2017. The average ulcer healing time were 2.3 ± 2.4 and 1.7 ± 1.7 months, respectively. Significant difference was found in the cumulative ulcers healing rate between the two groups (Hazard ratio [HR] and 95% confidence interval [CI] was respectively 1.458 and 1.140-1.865, P = .0002), but no difference was found in the VVs occlusion (HR and 95% CI was respectively 1.005 and 0.774-1.3071, P = .967). Significant difference occurred in 6 months and 12 months post-operatively in the VCSS change and in the procedure data and some complications between the 2 groups.In conclusion, the treatment of HL-EVLA-FS can accelerate the healing of VLUs, improve the VCSS and present superior procedure data. However, no advantage could be found in the VVs occlusion compared with control group.

Periulcer Foam Sclerotherapy Injection in Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers Using Near-Infrared Laser for Vein Visualization

High recurrence and high costs of treatment are the main problems with venous ulcer management. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to target the exact pathological cause. The role of cutaneous microvalves reflux in the pathogenesis of these ulcers has been confirmed. In this study, 20 chronic venous leg ulcers were prospectively subjected to foam sclerotherapy injection into periulcer veins using direct visualization by AccuVein AV400. Patients having infected ulcers, acute deep vein thrombosis, hypercoagulability, Ankle-Brachial Index <0.9, pregnancy, and/or allergy to the sclerosant were excluded. Endpoints included rates of ulcer size reduction, complete healing, ulcer recurrence, and procedure-related complications. Aethoxysklerol 1% was used in all cases to produce foam employing the double-syringe system. The mean reduction in ulcer surface area, postinjection, was 75% after 8 weeks and 91% after 12 weeks. Nineteen ulcers (95%) healed in a median time of 8 weeks, range 3 to 17 weeks. At 1 year of follow-up, 18 patients (90%) were still ulcer-free, while 1 patient's ulcer (5%) recurred 19 weeks postinjection. No major complications were encountered. Periulcer foam sclerotherapy injection, guided by vein visualization technology, should be one of the main lines of treatment of venous leg ulcers. It offers good results with regard to rapid ulcer healing and low recurrence rate without major risk. Randomized controlled trials are needed to establish these conclusions.

Impact of Great Saphenous Vein Foam Sclerotherapy on Quality of Life and Photoplethysmography Findings in Chronic Venous Insufficiency: One-Year Follow-up

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) for treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) has been attracting significant interest over the past 20 years. It is a minimally invasive technique that comprises a safe treatment option and has yielded good results, especially in cases of advanced disease, with high rates of wound healing.

OBJECTIVE

To examine clinical, ultrasound, and photoplethysmography outcomes after a 1-year follow-up of UGFS for CVI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-nine legs classified as C4, C5, or C6 of the CEAP classification were included. Patients answered the VEINES questionnaire on quality of life and symptoms. and their venous filling time (VFT) was measured using photoplethysmography before and 45, 180, and 360 days after treatment of CVI with UGFS.

RESULTS

The results showed statistically significant improvements in VEINES quality-of-life and symptom scores and in VFT measured by photoplethysmography and a reduction in great saphenous vein diameter (p < .0001) at 45, 180, and 360 days after treatment with UGFS.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy demonstrated efficacy and resulted in high satisfaction levels, confirmed by improvement in questionnaire scores, venous refilling time, and ultrasound findings.

Transilluminated powered phlebectomy in the treatment of large area venous leg ulcers: A case-control study with 3 years follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and long-term outcome of TIPP for the adjunct therapy of superficial venous reflux-related VLUs.

METHODS

A total of 93 consecutive patients (104 legs) with superficial venous insufficiency-related VLUs who underwent TIPP (53 legs) or conventional phlebectomy (51 legs) between January 2010 and December 2013 were retrospectively studied.

RESULTS

Compared to patients in the conventional phlebectomy group, TIPP patients had larger ulcer areas before surgery (P < 0.005). However, TIPP group required a significantly shorter operation time (P < 0.005), fewer incisions (P < 0.005) but less ulcer healing time (1.25 month vs 2.5 months, P < 0.05). No significant difference in in-hospital and follow-up complications was found between the two groups. For long-term outcome, TIPP group leaded a lower ulcer recurrence rate at 36 months (13.2% vs 29.4%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

TIPP may be an adjunct surgical method contributes to healing of VLUs, especially for large ulcer areas.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasound on Venous and Arterial Ulcers: A Focused Review

GENERAL PURPOSE

To provide information about the use of ultrasound for diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of venous and arterial ulcers.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES

After completing this continuing education activity, you should be able to: ABSTRACT: To review the diagnostic and therapeutic use of ultrasound on venous and arterial ulcers.

METHODS

PubMed was searched for peer-reviewed articles using the search terms "ultrasound for venous ulcers" and "ultrasound for arterial ulcers." The search yielded 282 articles on ultrasound for venous ulcers and 455 articles for ultrasound on arterial ulcers. Data from 36 articles were selected and included after abstract review.

RESULTS

Ultrasound is an established diagnostic modality for venous and arterial disease and is indicated for wound debridement. Recent evidence continues to support its superiority over standard of care in healing venous ulcers, but findings conflict in terms of the effectiveness of low-frequency ultrasound over high-frequency ultrasound. There are currently no standardized treatment protocols for ultrasound.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic ultrasound is used to assess venous and arterial disease and guide appropriate treatment for ulcers. Therapeutic low-frequency ultrasound is used to debride the wound bed, as an adjunctive topical wound treatment with standard of care, and to guide the application of other advanced therapies to chronic wounds. Better trial designs and consistent data are needed to support the effectiveness of ultrasound therapy on venous and arterial ulcers.