PERCUTANEOUS SCLEROTHERAPY OF VENOUS MALFORMATIONS OF THE HEAD AND NECK USING SODIUM TETRADECYL SULFATE (SOTRADECOL)

Thirty-eight patients with venous malformations of the face, neck, and tongue underwent percutaneous sclerotherapy with direct puncture and instillation of sodium tetradecyl sulphate (Sotradecol) (33-67% soluti on, mixed with contrast material) into the lesions. Each patient under went from one to seven treatment sessions (mean 2.2), followed by reco nstructive surgery in three cases. Of the 34 patients who responded to the follow-up questionnaire, the late results were excellent or good in 23 patients (68%), moderate in eight, unchanged in three, and were worse in one. Compared with our previous experience of embolisation of such malformations with ethanol, the results with Sotradecol were sli ghtly worse. There was one serious complication, unilateral loss of vi sion in a patient with a large malformation that extended to the orbit . In conclusion, percutaneous sclerotherapy with Sotradecol is effecti ve treatment for venous malformations of the head and neck. Careful pl anning is essential to reduce the risks of the treatment.