Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy as a therapeutic modality in venous ulceration

Objectives The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate rates of ulcer healing following ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS). Methods The MEDLINE, CENTRAL and Embase databases were used to search for relevant studies using the terms ' (sclerotherapy AND ulcer) OR (vein AND ulcer) OR (sclerotherapy AND vein)'. Heterogeneity between studies was quantified using the I2 statistic. A random effects model was used to calculate risk ratios where substantial heterogeneity was found. Results The initial search yielded 8266 articles. 8 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and 3 in the meta-analysis. Superior complete ulcer healing rates were noted in patients treated with foam sclerotherapy versus compression therapy alone (pooled OR 6.41, 95% CI = 0.3–148.2, p = 0.246, random effects method). A marked degree of heterogeneity was observed between studies (I2 = 81%). Conclusion A prospective, trial is warranted in order to determine the true merits of UGFS in the setting of venous ulceration.