CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF COMPRESSION ALONG WITH ULTRASOUND GUIDED FOAM SCLEROTHERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VENOUS ULCERS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR.

JPUMHS;2024:14:04,41-49. http://doi.org/10.46536/jpumhs/2024/14.04.559

Abstract

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy UGFS has been demonstrated to
be as successful as open surgery in the management of venous ulcers. OBJECTIVE This
study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of compression along with ultrasound guided
foam sclerotherapy in the management of venous ulcers. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
This eighteen-month prospective observational study was conducted from July 2022 to
December 2023 with a follow up period of one year at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar.
Patients were recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. Prospective
assessments were conducted on patients with superficial truncal venous incompetence and
active venous leg ulcers CEAP clinical class C6 diagnosed through clinical evaluation and
findings from doppler ultrasound. Baseline clinical, imaging, and demographic data were
gathered before the the standard procedure of compression therapy and ultrasound guided
foam sclerotherapy. The time frame from the intervention to the complete healing of the ulcer
and the rate of ulcer recurrence throughout the one-year follow-up period were the main
outcome measures RESULTS: The study included 33 individuals aged 40-50, with a mean
age of 43 ± 5 years. The gender distribution was 19 men 57.6% and 14 women 42.4%. By the
end of the one-year follow-up period, 26 patients 78.8% had fully healed ulcers, three
patients 9.1% had incomplete healing, with ulcers showing moderate improvement but not
fully healing. Four patients 12.1% had unhealed ulcers, indicating no progress during the
research period. Ulcer recurrence was reported in one patient 4% who had previously healed
ulcers. The healed ulcers had an average size reduction of 80% ± 5%. The average time for
healing was 14 ± 3 weeksvCONCLUSION: The results of this study concluded that, treating
venous ulcers with compression therapy and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy together
significantly improves healing rates, reduces ulcer size, and enhances patient quality of life.
The beneficial result of this study encourages the use of this combination therapy strategy in
clinical settings for improved patient care.