Escleroterapia con espuma de polidocanol al 1% como tratamiento de urgencia en varicorragia espontánea: a propósito de un caso
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Introduction: Varicorrhagia is an acute and potentially life-threatening hemorrhagic complication of Chronic Venous Disease (CVD), frequently associated with advanced stages of the CEAP classification (C4-C6). In these scenarios, skin fragility and persistent venous hypertension hinder conventional management. Objective: To describe the clinical approach and successful resolution of an acute varicorrhagia episode using 1% polidocanol foam sclerotherapy in an emergency setting. Case presentation: A 62-year-old female with a long-standing history of CVD (CEAP stage C4b) was admitted to the Vesalius Vascular Center presenting with profuse, sudden, and spontaneous venous hemorrhage in the right lower limb. Physical examination revealed lipodermatosclerosis and perilesional ochre hyperpigmentation. Following initial hemodynamic stabilization through mechanical compression, urgent sclerotherapy was performed using the Tessari technique (air/sclerosant ratio 1:4) with 1.5 cc of 1% polidocanol under real-time Doppler ultrasound guidance. Immediate vascular spasm and definitive cessation of bleeding were achieved without the need for cutaneous sutures or prolonged hospitalization. Discussion: Foam sclerotherapy allows for the selective chemical closure of the affected vessel, overcoming the limitations of traditional surgery in trophically compromised tissues and reducing the risk of hemorrhagic recurrence. Conclusion: The use of polidocanol foam represents a safe, effective, and minimally invasive therapeutic alternative for resolving hemorrhagic emergencies; it should be integrated as a preliminary step toward definitive ablative treatment (endovenous laser) to correct the underlying venous insufficiency.
Source: Revista GICOS
Language: Spanish
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7164454856