Surgical removal of the venous malformation can be staged (done in stages over a few months) or if it is possible, in one operation. The venous malformation is usually sclerosed before the operation. This will usually greatly facilitate the ease of surgery and greatly reduce blood loss during surgery.
Combined Sclerotherapy and Surgery
We have perfected a treatment whereby the lesion is first injected/clotted and then within 24 – 48 hours, it is removed. The advantages of this combined treatment are multifold. Firstly, the addition of sclerotherapy reduces the risk of severe blood loss during surgery. This will also reduce the number of treatments necessary since the sclerosed area is being removed. If it were not removed, many of the veins would recanalize (reform), thereby resulting in a recurrence. The results of this combined treatment have been excellent. We have been able to remove lesions that were previously considered inoperable. This has offered much hope for many of our patients. Our aim is to control the lesion and thereby improve the quality of life of the patient. In some cases, we can cure the lesion completely.