Film compression bandage

Purpose: Textile compression stockings or bandages are limited in comfort; they do not allow uninterrupted wearing. A novel elastic film bandage was evaluated regarding practicability, patient comfort and effect on vein regression. Main endpoint was the frequency of symptomatic inflammatory reactions.

Methods: In a comparative pilot study, a compression film bandage (CFB, investigational) comprising an elastic, self-adhesive breathable polymer film of d <20 µm was continuously worn for 14 d after foam sclero-therapy. Inclusion: 62 patients (26–68 y.) frequently doing sports and taking daily showers, 90 legs with superficial varicosities, 5–12 mm ø (MW: 7.3 mm), randomized to A) CFB + medical compression stocking (MCS), B) MCS alone, C) CFB alone. Follow-up examinations including ultrasound and photography were performed after 2, 4 and 8 weeks.

Results: Continuous wearing time of 14 days was completed in 57/60 cases with CFB (95.0 %, A+C), while 3/60 (5.0 %) finished wearing after 8–10 d. There were no adverse skin reactions except minor irritations at the upper edge (n = 2). Vein diameters were reduced within 14 days by 29–54 % (mean: 43.5 %) in group A, 16–44% (mean: 39.1 %) in group B, and 24–50 % (mean: 37.3 %) in group C. Symptomatic inflammation, indu-ration or discolouration was observed within 28 days in 5/60 cases (8.3 %) when using CFB (A, C) versus 19/30 (63.3%) related to stocking compression (B). Comfort was rated by the patients 6.6 (A), 4.3 (B) and 9.2 (C) on a 10 degree scale. This difference was statistically highly significant (p <0.01).

Conclusions: The film bandage is an effective and safe compression modality. For superficial varicosities the adhesive bond to the skin seems to be relevant additional to the elastic properties. The device significantly improves vein regression of foam-treated superficial varicosities when combined with compression stockings or even as stand-alone modality. Continuous wearing for two weeks is well tolerated. The bandage may also offer an alternative for patients not tolerating textile compression media, or during summer.

Foam sclerotherapy of segments of the saphenous vein with adjuvant hyaluronan compression

Background: Thermal, mechano-chemical and chemical methods of vein closure are increasingly less effective in saphenous veins with diameters above 10 mm. Furthermore, increasing vein size is associated with unpleasant inflammatory reactions, in particular in locations close to sensitive structures like the skin. External compression media are not able to prevent these unwanted sequela in a tolerable way. As a possible solution, perivenous hyaluronan compression was evaluated combined with microfoam sclero-therapy.

Methods: 34 patients (25 f, 9 m, 43–71 yr/o) with saphenous insufficiency (GSV), dia -meters 10.1–23.1 mm (M: 14.1 mm), distance to skin: >10 mm, received a vein lumen compression oft thigh- or calf segments by perivenous injection of a NASHA gel mediated by a coaxial paravenous catheter prior to catheter-applied microfoam sclerotherapy (aethoxysklerol 1 %). Injection of both, hyaluronan and microfoam, were performed during catheter withdrawal. The aim of hyaluronan compression was a 2/3 reduction oft the native vein cross section. For comparison, adjacent segments were compressed with common tumescent fluid. Segments for both modalities had similar diameter and were randomized. Due to department rules, the junction segment was closed with endovenous lasers to warrant elimination of reflux. No textile compression media were applied. Clinical controls including ultrasound were performed after 2, 8, 26 and 54 weeks.

Results: All treated vein segments showed total occlusion after 2 weeks (first visit). The lumen reduction was 54–81 % (M: 68.4 %) in segments with hyaluronan compression and 8–29 % (M: 19.2 %) in segments with tumes-cent fluid. Time needed for hyaluronan compression was 1.1–3.5 min (M: 2.2 min) and for tumescence 0.8–2.7 min (M: 1.8 min) per 10 cm-segment. Clinical investigations up to 8 weeks did not reveal any symptoms, visible inflammations or stainings in segments covered with hyaluronan, while tumescent-compressed segments had such findings in 20/34 cases (58.8 %). Perivenous hyaluronan did not induce any discomfort or side effects during follow-up.

Conclusions: Even large saphenous veins can be effectively and safely treated by microfoam sclerotherapy without any postinterventional symptoms when the vein lumen is reduced by perivenous injection of hyaluronan gel. However, it takes additional interventional effort to achieve this goal. Future applications could also include combinations with thermal or gluing device or support novel foams like Varithena or biomatrix sclerofoam when treating very large veins or venous aneurysms, and furthermore serve in vein shaping fort the purpose of establishing laminar flow or modifying pressure relations (venoplasty).