Endovascular treatment of venous malformations in extremities: results of sclerotherapy and the quality of life after treatment.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term results of endovascular sclerotherapy in treating venous extremity malformations and to assess the quality of life after treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients were included who had completed treatment with ethanol sclerotherapy and a minimum of one year observation period. Nineteen patients attended a clinical control. To evaluate the quality of life after treatment, 23 patients filled in a questionnaire which included 20 multiple-choice questions exploring four dimensions: psychological, physical and social functioning, and pain.

RESULTS: At the clinical control seven patients had no clinical symptoms related to the malformation, six had slight, four moderate, and two severe symptoms. In 16 patients the symptoms had diminished after treatment. No deterioration of the initial situation was observed. The results concerning quality of life showed that most patients did well after endovascular treatment. Pain was the most important injurious factor for state of health among the four different dimensions. The poorest outcome was found in malformations that filled the whole muscle or muscle compartment and in larger lesions. The patients whose malformation at the clinical control caused swelling to the extremity affected had poorer quality indices than others.

CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment for venous malformations is an effective treatment.