AVF International Session: Valves, Foam Sclerotherapy, and Lipedema

Prosthetic Venous Valves and Tailored Foam Sclerotherapy

A pivotal trial of a prosthetic venous valve in 75 patients reported meaningful improvements in reflux, venous clinical severity scores, pain, and vein patency, with a smaller nitinol device now planned. A tailored foam sclerotherapy approach matches bubble consistency, wetter foam for small reticular veins, drier foam for larger trunks and perforators, to the vessel treated.

Lipedema and Obesity, and Supermicrosurgery for Lymphedema

Lipedema and obesity remain difficult to disentangle, with cohort data showing roughly half of Spanish lipedema patients are not obese, though greater weight gain is linked to disease progression regardless of age. A Japanese scoping review of lymphatic supermicrosurgery highlighted growing use of indocyanine green imaging, lymphatic guidewires, and micro arteriovenous fistulas, alongside emerging robotic techniques.

Tumescent-Assisted Sclerotherapy for Complex Veins

Injecting tumescent solution around large veins or recurrent neovascularization before foam sclerotherapy compresses the vessel and reduces the volume of foam needed, improving safety without changing appearance afterward. The technique also helps treat large perforators and complex aesthetic lesions with multiple feeding vessels.