Table 1.
Undesired events after sclerotherapy. (Modified and updated from [81])
| Description | Frequency | |
| ***** Very frequent | ≥10% | |
| **** Frequent | ≥1–<10% | |
| *** Occasional | ≥0.1–<1% | |
| ** Rare | ≥0.01–<0.1% | |
| * Very rare and individual cases | <0.01% | |
| Type of undesired event | Frequency | |
| With liquid sclerotherapy | With foam sclerotherapy | |
| Serious complications a | ||
| Anaphylaxis | * Individual cases | * Individual cases |
| Extensive tissue necrosis | * Individual cases | * Individual cases |
| Stroke and TIA | * Individual cases | * Individual cases |
| Distal deep vein thrombosis (usually muscular) | ** Rare | *** Occasional |
| Proximal deep vein thrombosis | * Very rare | * Very rare |
| Lung embolism | * Individual cases | * Individual cases |
| Damage to motor nerves | * Individual cases | * Individual cases |
| Benign complications | ||
| Visual disturbances | * Very rare | *** Occasional |
| Headache and migraine | * Very rare | *** Occasional |
| Damage to sensory nerves | * Not reported | ** Rare |
| Tightness in the chest | * Very rare | * Very rare |
| Dry cough | * Very rare | * Very rare |
| Superficial thrombosis | Unclearb | Unclearb |
| Skin reactionc (contact allergy) | * Very rare | * Very rare |
| Matting | **** Frequent | **** Frequent |
| Hyperpigmentation | **** Frequent | **** Frequent |
| Skin necrosis (minimal) | ** Rare | * Very rare |
| Embolia cutis medicamentosa | * Very rare | * Very rare |
aAs with all medication treatments, the possibility cannot be excluded that some of these serious side effects (e.g. anaphylaxis) may be fatal in the worst cases
bFrequencies between 0 and 45.8% are reported in the literature, with a mean value of 4.7% (see below)
cLocal wheal formation and urticaria factitia may be observed at the insertion point, similar to that observed in the context of local histamine release; these should not generally be considered an “allergic reaction”