An Investigation on the Influence of Hyaluronic Acid on Polidocanol Foam Stability.

Abstract

Foam sclerotherapy is an effective treatment strategy for varicose veins and venous malformations. Foam stability varies according to foam composition, volume, and injection technique. To evaluate the stability of polidocanol (POL) foam with the addition of hyaluronic acid (HA). Group A: 2 mL of 1% POL + 0 mL of 1% HA + 8 mL of air; Group B: 2 mL of 1% POL + 0.05 mL of 1% HA + 8 mL of air; Group C: 2 mL of 1% POL + 0.1 mL of 1% HA + 8 mL of air. Tessari's method was used for foam generation. The half-life, or the time for a volume of foam to be reduced to half of its original volume, was used to evaluate foam stability. Five recordings were made for each group. The half-life was 142.8 (±4.32) seconds for 1% POL without the addition of HA, 310.6 (±7.53) seconds with the addition of 0.05 mL of 1% HA, and 390.4 (±13.06) seconds with the addition of 0.1 mL of 1% HA. The stability of POL foam was highly increased by the addition of small amounts of HA.