Treatment of Spider Telangiectasias

Chapter 11 Treatment of Spider Telangiectasias




Historical Background


Although the treatment of varicose veins was in the phase of further refinement, the treatment of telangiectasias was not seriously attempted until the 1930s. It was Biegeleisen who is credited with initially attempting injection into the perivascular space around telangiectatic areas. Later, he implemented intravascular injections using homemade microneedles.1 These early efforts led to disappointing results, primarily because the sclerosing solutions, such as sodium morrhuate, were very caustic. It was not until the 1970s that others attempted to treat spider telangiectasias with intravascular injection using less caustic solutions such as sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) (Sotradecol) and hypertonic saline. It was these agents that propelled the treatment of telangiectasias forward. The enthusiasm for these treatments increased steadily as Foley’s publication, relating to this new technique, gained momentum.2



Etiology


Although research continues to be done in this area, there is consensus today that telangiectasias result from a number of causes, alone or more likely in combination with other etiologic factors. Telangiectatic leg veins, according to the contemporary research, arise as a result of venous hypertension secondary to a number of different causes and conditions. The etiology of varicose veins and telangiectasias, for the most part, is similar. The pathophysiology of telangiectasias is usually broadly categorized as genetic/congenital, acquired and iatrogenic. Some of the genetic causes of telangiectasias include nevus flammeus (port- wine stains), nevus araneus (spider telangiectasia, which can also result from acquired diseases), and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Congenital conditions associated with telangiectasias include Maffucci syndrome and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (poikiloderma). Acquired causes of telangiectasias can arise from a primary cutaneous disorder, such as varicose veins and keratosis lichenoides chronica, or the result of a disorder with a secondary cutaneous component, such as lupus erythematosus, a collagen disorder, and mastocytosis (telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans). Hormonal influences (estrogen and progesterone) also play a role in the pathogenesis of telangiectasia. Pregnancy places the person at risk for the development of telangiectasia as early as a couple of weeks after conception. Birth control pills, menses, and the time just before ovulation are also associated with the development or worsening of telangiectasia, and increased venous dispensability. Topical steroids, particularly at high doses, have also been identified as a possible causative factor. Last, physical insults, like trauma (contusions) and infection, have also been implicated as causal forces. See Box 11-1 for a comprehensive listing of the many causes of lower leg cutaneous telangiectasia.



Telangiectasia is also associated with a number of other conditions and traits. These include, but are not limited to, those listed here:

















Patient Selection


Patients with spider telangiectasias typically present with primarily cosmetic complaints. Patient selection for the treatment of spider telangiectasias, as with all medical treatments, begins with a thorough assessment that includes not only an assessment of the person’s telangiectasia, but also the medical history, chief complaint, family history, and the patient’s expectations relating to his or her possible spider telangiectasias. On the basis of this assessment, the physician must determine whether or not the treatment can resolve the patient’s cosmetic complaints. At times, the telangiectasia is the result of a more generalized, systemic problem such as venous insufficiency. If venous insufficiency is present, it must be treated prior to the treatment of the spider telangiectasia; otherwise, the venous hypertension would likely thwart the desired outcome. Second, it must be determined whether the patient’s expectations are realistic and achievable. The patient must clearly understand that the treatment is elective and that it is not likely to produce any significant health benefits. The patient should also understand that multiple treatments are often necessary for optimal results. Some patients may not be willing to do this. As with all invasive procedures, the patient must be educated about the benefits, risks, and alternatives to treatment. He or she must be thoroughly aware of all potential adverse sequelae and possible complications. Last, the patient must be informed that the treatment of spider telangiectasias is not curative and that further development of telangiectatic areas is likely.


Although there are no absolute contraindications to this treatment, people taking certain medications and/or patients with some chronic illnesses, especially those that could affect the occurrence of sclerotherapy complications, should be approached with extreme caution. For example, conditions such diabetes and peripheral vascular disease may lead to serious complications, such as ulcers. Some medications, such as minocycline or isotretinoin, can lead to adverse reactions if not discontinued prior to the treatment.



Endovascular Instrumentation


The basic endovascular instrumentation used for the treatment of spider telangiectasias includes needles for access and syringes to deliver the sclerosant to the affected areas. The needles used for telangiectasia are typically 30 gauge, although a 27-gauge butterfly needle may be used sometimes for larger reticular veins. Smaller needles, as small as a 33 gauge, can also be used but they tend to bend too easily when they are penetrating the skin (Fig. 11-9).



The syringes that are typically used vary from a 1-mL tuberculin syringe to a 3-mL syringe. Most prefer a 3-mL syringe because it exerts the lowest pressures during injection, and it is also manually manipulated more precisely by the practitioner than a 1-mL syringe, especially if it is only filled to 2 mL.


The environment of care for sclerotherapy should include a comfortable table for the patient, a comfortable room temperature, and ample lighting. The treatment table height should permit the physician to sit comfortably on a stool with his or her legs under the table without having to lean over the table and the patient for access. Environmental lighting should be bright and capable of providing adequate indirect illumination without any glare on the patient’s skin (Fig. 11-10).



General supplies would include alcohol swabs, cotton balls, tape, and compression supplies such as Ace wraps or Coban. Patients can supply their own stockings or they can be provided by the practice, which would require keeping a fairly large inventory (Figs. 11-11 and 11-12).




Last, but also most important, is emergency equipment. Fortunately, life-threatening complications are very rare; however, they are always possible. Basic emergency equipment must minimally include oxygen, airway equipment, epinephrine, steroids, and antihistamines (Fig. 11-13).




Imaging


Spider telangiectasias are primarily a cosmetic, aesthetic concern for the patient; therefore, they are primarily treated visually. Several things can be used to aid in the visualization.


First and foremost are magnifying glasses or loupes. These aids help to visualize the insertion of the needle into the smaller veins, particularly those that are less than 1 mm in diameter. Because loupes typically have image times the magnification, they facilitate good visualization while the needle pierces the skin and enters the vein (Fig. 11-14).



A number of lighting systems are used for visualization of veins to be treated. Vein lights provide visualization of vessels just under the skin that are sometimes too deep for normal visualization. These lights create a “shadow” from the absorption of the blood in the vein. Polarized lights are also used to provide better visualization through the skin (Fig. 11-15).



Syris polarized lights with magnification (Syris, Gray, ME) also provide better visualization through the skin (Fig. 11-16).



Infrared visualization is also done. Infrared lights allow the practitioner to see veins a few millimeters under the skin because these lights provide infrared images of the hemoglobin contained within the red cells circulating in the vessel that is then projected back onto the skin using the VeinViewer or a camera. This is particularly helpful for identifying “feeding” reticular veins that could be causing the telangiectasias (Fig. 11-17).



Duplex imaging is also an invaluable tool. This imaging is primarily used for the diagnostic workup of venous insufficiency. It is also used for directing that treatment, including varicose veins. New high-frequency probes, in the 15- to 17-mHz range, can identify very small veins, as small as 1 to 2 mm, such as reticular “feeding” veins. These reticular feeding veins may demonstrate reflux that may contribute to spider telangiectasias.



Sclerosants


Sclerosants used for the treatment of spider telangiectasias can be divided into three main groups: detergents, hyperosmolar, and chemical irritants. This section will cover the most frequently used sclerosants for treatment of telangiectasias in the United States.


The detergent solutions are primarily sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) (Sotradecol) and polidocanol (POL). These solutions work by attacking the endothelial cells at their cell surface lipids. STS has been around since 1946. It is manufactured in the United States by BionichePharma. STS is used for the treatment of spider telangiectasias in various concentrations from 0.05% to 0.5%. It can be foamed if desired. POL, used for the treatment of spider telangiectasias, comes in concentrations of 0.25% to 1% and it, too, can be used as a foam. POL just recently became approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so experience with it is not nearly as extensive as it is in Europe.


The hyperosmolar, or hypertonic, sclerosant group consists primarily of hypertonic saline (HS), hypertonic dextrose, sodium salicylate, and a combination of hypertonic saline and hypertonic dextrose. These agents work by dehydrating the endothelial cells. Hypertonic saline is used in concentrations of 11.7% to 23.4%. Hypertonic dextrose comes in a concentration of 75% that can be diluted. The combination of 10% saline and 25% dextrose is sold as Sclerodex manufactured by Omega laboratories in Canada.


Chemical irritant sclerosants that are currently used in the United States are primarily limited to glycerin 72%. It works as a caustic agent on the vessel wall. Glycerin can be diluted, most frequently with lidocaine 1% with or without epinephrine (Fig. 11-18).





Operative Steps


After appropriate informed consent is obtained and patient education is complete, the next step is to obtain photographic documentation of the areas being treated to establish a baseline for later posttreatment comparison. This comparison is useful to both the physician ant the patient. Minimally, four views should be obtained with additional close-up views as indicated.


After this photographic documentation, the patient is then placed in the supine position, preferably with the head slightly lower than the legs. As previously mentioned, the height of the table itself should be comfortable for the person performing the injections. Good indirect lighting, without glare on the skin, is also necessary. The skin should be cleansed with alcohol, not only for asepsis but also to remove the outermost dead layer of skin in order to make the veins more visible to the practitioner.


Treatment should begin at the source of reflux, if the source has been determined, or proximal to it if the precise location is not known. In the latter case, the larger veins are treated prior to the treatment of the smaller ones. It can be assumed that the source of reflux is the perigeniculate perforators, located usually just above the knee, for the lateral venous plexus area (Fig. 11-19).



Complete treatment of the reticular feeding veins is performed in a given area before moving to the treatment of the smaller spider telangiectasias in the same area. Sclerosant injected into the feeder vein often travels into the spiders, thus effectively treating both the feeding veins and the spider veins. Access with the needle, as described earlier, is done with aspiration to confirm placement into the larger reticular feeder veins. The method of injection should be smooth and with very little pressure on the plunger. The volume of the injection solution depends on the size of the reticular vein. By definition, reticular veins range from 1 mm to 3 mm in diameter. Using 2 mm as an average, the volume of a 5-cm segment is 0.16 mL. Therefore a 15-cm segment would require 0.5 mL of sclerosant. Imaging with vein lights, a vein viewer, and polarized lights is sometimes very helpful (Figs. 11-20 through 11-22).





The practitioner has a choice of sclerosant and concentration for reticular veins. Typically chosen is 0.5% to 1.0% STS liquid or 0.25% to 0.5% foamed STS. When POL is chosen, it is generally 0.75% to 1% liquid or 0.5% to 0.75% foam. Other choices may include 23.4% HS or 66% dextrose.


Following the reticular feeding vein treatment, the spider telangiectasia can immediately be treated during the same visit or postponed for a later date. When the spider veins are ready for treatment, these veins are accessed with visual cues or with the tactile feel of the needle and plunger. As the needle enters the vein there is a lessening of resistance and, with a light touch on the plunger, the sclerosant will clear the vessel. If there is any evidence of extravasation, the injection must be stopped immediately.


The volume of injection is dependent on the size of the vein being treated. It is important to keep in mind that a 1-mm vein has only 0.1 mL of volume for every 13 cm of length. The injection of the appropriate volume of the solution is often ascertained by a visual determination by the experienced practitioner. Gentle positive pressure on the plunger and the injection of the sclerosing solution continue until the segment of vein fills with approximately 0.1 mL.


After the injection is stopped, the needle is then held in position for several seconds, up to 30 seconds. This increases the contact time of the sclerosant with the vein wall. The choice and concentration of sclerosant for spider veins are based on the size of the spider vein and practitioner preference, with ranges from 0.05% to 0.25% for STS and from 0.25% to 0.5% for POL, 11.7% HS, and 48% glycerin diluted with lidocaine. The total volume of the injection depends on which type and concentration of sclerosant are being used. For example, the maximum dose for STS is 10 mL of 3%, so if one is injecting a 0.25% solution, the total volume would be 120 mL (Figs. 11-23 and 11-24).


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Jul 10, 2016 | Posted by in CARDIAC SURGERY | Comments Off on Treatment of Spider Telangiectasias

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