Copper needle for soft tissue venous malformations

  Copper needle treatment for soft tissue venous malformation was pioneered by Prof. Wang Dame, which has better efficacy for complex venous malformation with large area and extensive local infiltration. The mechanism is that the copper needle surface is positively charged, while the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the blood are negatively charged, the two interact with each other, and the solid components of the blood agglutinate around the copper needle to induce thrombosis, occlude the blood sinus and the blood vessels connected with it in the hemangioma, and induce inflammation in the endothelium, which makes the blood vessel wall fibrosis and the tumor subside.  However, there are two disadvantages of copper needle retention therapy: 1. The diameter of copper needle is thicker, which limits the number of copper needles for puncture and leaves a larger scar for the puncture hole.  2, the venous malformation within the malformed vessels, copper needle can only puncture to part of the malformed vessels and make them embolized, for not punctured to the malformed vessels is not effective, which is also the main reason for the recurrence of venous malformation after copper needle retention therapy. We use ~filament instead of copper needle because the diameter of ~filament is small (0.2mm) and can be repeatedly punctured in the tumor for more than 100 times, and the copper filaments are crisscrossed in the tumor in a net shape, so more malformed vessels can be punctured. The sum of the surface area of multiple ~ wires is much higher than that of copper needles of the same volume, and the contact area with blood is larger, forming more thrombi and embolizing the malformed vessels more thoroughly. The scar of the puncture hole left after the operation is also very small.  A large amount of ~filament mesh is left in the malformed hemangioma, which punctures and blocks most of the malformed vessels, and the blood in the malformed vessels is stagnant, and the blood flow rate is reduced or even stopped. We then injected additional sclerosing agents (anhydrous alcohol and pinyamycin) into the malformed veins. Because of the blood stagnation within the malformation, the sclerosing agent can then be kept at a high concentration within the malformation for a long time and remain in the malformed vessel for a long time to take effect and cause lasting damage to the residual malformed vessels. Clinical treatment shows that ~ wire retention combined with sclerosing agent injection can produce lasting and strong damage to the malformed vessels, causing embolization, sclerosis and even necrosis of the malformed lesions and gradual atrophy. The efficacy of this method is superior to that of sclerotherapy alone and is a reliable option for large venous malformations. However, pain during copper wire retention and postoperative perforation hole scarring (although minor) are its disadvantages.  The following is a case in which we applied copper wire retention in combination with sclerotherapy.