Effect of foam sclerotherapy on healing and long-term recurrence in chronic venous leg ulcers

IntroductionThe ESCHAR trial showed that superficial venous surgery and compression in chronic venous ulceration achieved a 24-week healing rate of 65% and 12-month recurrence rate of 12%. Foam sclerotherapy treatment is an alternative to surgery. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of foam sclerotherapy on ulcer healing and recurrence in chronic venous leg ulcers.MethodsChronic venous leg ulcers (CEAP [clinical, aetiological, anatomical and pathological elements] 5 and CEAP 6) with superficial venous reflux were treated between March 2006 and June 2011 with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy and compression. Venous duplex was performed on all legs before and after treatment. Twenty-four-week ulcer healing and one- and four-year ulcer recurrence rates were calculated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis.ResultsTwo hundred legs (186 patients) with chronic venous ulcers (CEAP 5: n = 163 and CEAP 6: n = 37) were treated with foam sclerotherapy. Complete occlusion was achieved in 185/200 (92.5%) l...