Sclerotherapy for treatment of hemangiomas

BACKGROUND. While sclerotherapy in chronic venous insufficiency and in hemo rrhoids is well established, the use of sclerotherapy for hemangiomas of th e skin is widely unknown. OBJECTIVE. The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical value of sclero therapy with polidocanol in a larger population. METHODS. Over a period of 20 years (1975-1995) we performed sclerotherapy o f hemangiomas and vascular malformations in a total of 157 patients. Their ages ranged from 3 months to 75 years. Among these were 87 (55.4%) children and adolescents (up to the age of 18). Sclerotherapy with polidocanol was carried out mostly at monstrous or rapidly growing cavernous hemangiomas ma inly localized in the face. RESULTS. One to three injections was usually sufficient to obtain the scler osis effect; aesthetically, long-term results were convincing. Severe compl ications were not observed. CONCLUSION. Sclerotherapy of hemangiomas is a relatively simple, effective, and inexpensive method that is a valuable and promising treatment.