title: Marked acute tissue swelling following percutaneous sclerosis of low-flow vascular malformations: a predictor of both prolonged recovery and therapeutic effect.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the significance of marked, acute swelling in patients after percutaneous sclerosis of low-flow vascular malformations, as a predictor of both prolonged recovery and likelihood of therapeutic effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 22 patients who underwent percutaneous ethanol sclerosis of low-flow vascular malformations, we compared the incidence of prolonged recovery and lasting therapeutic effect between those patients with and without marked soft-tissue swelling following the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients exhibited marked swelling after sclerosis. Four of these five had causes of prolonged recovery. These four recovered and all five eventually had marked therapeutic effect. Seventeen patients did not meet criteria for severe swelling. Only one of these patients had prolonged recovery. Eighteen of the 22 total patients had therapeutic effect. All 4 of the 22 total patients who had no therapeutic effect were in the group without marked swelling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marked soft-tissue swelling, which occurs after percutaneous sclerosis of vascular malformations, is both a predictor of prolonged recovery and high likelihood of therapeutic effect.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for the Treatment of Vascular Malformations, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bisset
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors