Long-term outcomes of venous ulcers after foam sclerotherapy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Long-term healing and recurrence of chronic venous ulcerations following ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy
IRAS ID
133800
Contact name
Andrew Bradbury
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Heart of England Foudation Trust
Research summary
Aims –
1. To determine long term healing rates of chronic venous ulcers (CVU) after ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) of superficial venous reflux.
2. To relate recurrence of CVU to evidence of recanalisation and the presence of superficial or deep venous reflux
Introduction – Varicose veins are a common problem affecting roughly 3-29% of women and 5-15% of men worldwide and are a result of a problem with the vein known as venous insufficiency. The most severe complication of venous insufficiency is venous ulceration. Traditional treatment for superficial venous reflux (SVR) was superficial venous surgery (SVS) involving stripping or cutting the malfunctioning vein and/or compression bandaging. In recent years, minimally invasive techniques have been developed that offer an alternative to traditional more invasive treatments, including ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS). Previous work from our team established that UGFS can be used to treat ulcers with 82% of ulcers healed within 16 months.
Justification – Chronic venous ulcers are a debilitating complication that can occur as a consequence of superficial venous reflux (SVR) and have been shown to adversely affect health-related quality of life. Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy has real potential for use with elderly and frail patients who may not be suitable for SVS where general anaesthtic may be required. Further work is needed to investigate the longer term success of this treatment both in terms of ulcer healing and preventing recurrence.
Methodology – Patients treated with UGFS for chronic venous ulceration will be invited by telephone to attend a further follow-up appointment where the success of their treatment will be assessed using ultrasound to assess the treated veins. This will establish whether the patient has any recurrence of their venous reflux and/or ulceration since their last follow-up. Patients ulcer history will also be established during the appointment to assess recurrence rates.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/WM/0337
Date of REC Opinion
20 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion