Postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentations. Chromated glycerin as a screen for patients at risk (a retrospective study).

BACKGROUND

Chromated glycerin reportedly causes less post-sclerotherapy hyperpigmentations than polidocanol.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether replacing polidocanol with chromated glycerin lowers the incidence of postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation.

METHODS

Retrospective study of 134 records of patients treated for leg telangiectasia. At the first session only chromated glycerin was injected. From the second session on treatment was continued--according to the response--either with chromated glycerin or with the stronger polidocanol.

RESULTS

Chromated glycerin caused strong sclero-inflammatory reaction in 27% of patients, who were therefore treated with chromated glycerin only; in the remaining 73%, chromated glycerin was replaced with polidocanol, because of mild (or absent) reaction. Postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation developed in three patients, all treated with chromated glycerin, while no postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation developed in the patients treated with polidocanol.

CONCLUSIONS

Single "trial" session with chromated glycerin permits to select patients at risk of developing postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation, and treat these with a milder sclerosant. This approach also reduced the incidence of early postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation compared with similar series treated with polidocanol alone.