Effects of Different Mixing Agents on the Stability of Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate (STS) Foam: An Experimental Study
PurposeTo evaluate the effect of air, CO{sub 2} and contrast medium-air on the dwell time (DT) stability of sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) foam.Materials and MethodsThree types of foam sclerosants (air-foam, CO{sub 2}-foam, contrast-air-foam) were injected eight times into an inclined straight plastic tube (internal diameters 4 mm and 10 mm) filled with a blood substitute. Injections were captured by CCD camera, and images were transferred for digital analysis and calculation of DT.ResultsContrast-air-foam and air-foam in a 4-mm tube showed 5.6-/3.3-fold greater DT compared to CO{sub 2}-foam, respectively (P = 0.001). Contrast-air-foam in a 10-mm tube showed 2.1-fold greater DT compared to CO{sub 2}-foam (P = 0.0167).ConclusionA mixture of air and iodinated contrast improves the stability of STS foam compared to mixtures using only air or CO{sub 2}. Further, animal and clinical studies are needed to validate this in vitro result.