Complications After Treatment of Head and Neck Venous Malformations With Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate Foam.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate complications in patients with head and neck venous malformations (VMs) treated with foam sclerotherapy using sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS).


METHODS
The authors retrospectively evaluated the complications, pain. and degree of satisfaction in 69 consecutive patients affected by cervicofacial VM managed with STS using the Tessari method in a single institution.


RESULTS
The average number of procedures for each patient was 2.1. The most frequent complication was blistering. We observed 1 patient of temporary weakness of a facial nerve branch, 1 paradoxical embolism, and 1 orbital compartment syndrome.The average pain score was 0 (no pain at all) (51.5%). There was no statistically significant correlation between patient satisfaction and the presence of complications or the degree of pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Sclerotherapy with STS is an effective treatment that yields to very high patient satisfaction. This procedure has an overall low complication rate and is usually effective within a few sessions. However, severe complications may occur; these must be pointed out in the informed consent and the surgeon must be aware of and ready to quickly treat them to prevent long-term sequelae.
*Departmentof Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Milan, San Paolo Hospital, Milan †Department of Otolaryngology, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence ‡Department of Maxillo Facial Surgery, San Paolo XXIII Hospital, Bergamo §Stefan Belov Center for Vascular Malformations, Humanitas Mater Domini, Castellanza ||Private practice, Genoa ¶Phlebology Unit, Villa Donatello private clinic, Florence #Phlebology and Wound Healing Surgery Unit, Villa Fiorita private clinic, Prato **Vascular Surgery, Casa di Cura Guarnieri, Rome, Italy.
Giacomo
G
Colletti
Alberto
A
Deganello
Alessandro
A
Bardazzi
Raul
R
Mattassi
Pietro
P
Dalmonte
Luca
L
Gazzabin
Francesco
F
Stillo
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012981:Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; D012981:Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate