OBJECTIVES: Chemical sclerotherapy is the most traditional treatment to eliminate telangiectasias. For several decades, it has been carried out in the office, although it has a high index of treatment dropout for being a painful, long and, therefore, little efficient treatment. Most of these patients also present insufficient varicose veins, which require phlebectomy and are candidates for surgery. The aim of this paper is to describe the combined treatment including varicose vein surgery and sclerotherapy for telangiectasias at the same procedure. METHODS: From January 1998 to March 2002, 213 patients (426 lower limbs) with telangiectasias were treated by means of hypertonic glucose infusion during the varicose vein surgery. RESULTS: More than 90% of the patients reported high indices of aesthetic satisfaction. The complementary sclerotherapy was necessary in 165 patients to have full aesthetic satisfaction during follow-up. Any cases of superficial thrombophlebitis or of deep venous thrombosis were reported. There were no serious complications either. In 10% of cases, small drainage of residual microthrombus was necessary. The index of hyperchromic spots did not exceed 3%. Only one patient developed a small ulcer in the back of the foot (0.2%), which spontaneously healed. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment including surgery with sclerotherapy for varicose veins and lower extremity telangiectasias is an alternative for patients who desire faster and painless results. Multiple session sclerotherapy with hypertonic glucose is a safe and efficient procedure.
Ambulatory surgical procedures; sclerotherapy; venous insufficiency; varicose veins