SCLEROTHERAPY FOR TELANGIECTASIS OF THE LEG - RESULTS OF A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Objective: To evaluate the recurrence of telangiectases in patients wh o had previously been treated by sclerotherapy. Design: Retrospective single patient group study with 5-year follow-up. Setting: Centro Stud i Malattie Vascolari 'J. F. Merlen', Frosinone, Italy. Patients and me thods: The records of 52 patients who had been treated by sclerotherap y for leg telangiectases 5 years earlier were reviewed. Patients had b een reviewed at yearly intervals. The reappearance of telangiectases a t the initial treatment site and at new sites had been recorded at eac h review. Results: In 77% of patients studied (40/52) new telangiectas es appeared. Of these, 67% (35/72) were in a different area and 56% (2 9/52) were in the same area (chi(2) = N. S.). In 46% of cases (24/52) telangiectases occurred both in the area treated originally and in add itional areas. In 48% of cases affected by a recurrence (19/40), the a dditional telangiectases were of minimal extent requiring little if an y treatment. Conclusions: Sclerotherapy of telangiectases treats the c onsequences of the disease and does not address the cause. Consequentl y, patients often suffer recurrence of their telangiectases. This may be regarded as an evolution of the disease, affecting new veins, rathe r than true recurrence. Maintenance treatment will often be required t o sustain the results following the initial course of sclerotherapy.