Review of bleomycin, ethanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate as sclerosant agents in vascular malformations.

Purpose: The aim of this article is to review the published literature on the use of bleomycin, ethanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate as sclerosing embolic agents in vascular malformation management and contrast and compare them.Material and methods: Published journal articles on bleomycin, ethanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate employed in vascular malformation management were reviewed and the results were analyzed.Results: While efficacy has been described for all the sclerosing embolic agents, absolute ethanol appears to be superior compared to others in that cures were routinely documented.Conclusion: Absolute ethanol is highly effective in the permanent eradication and permanent ablation of high-flow and low-flow vascular malformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]