Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combined application of semiconductor laser and polidocanol under the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the treatment of venous malformations in children. Methods From August 2016 to May 2017, totally 57 patients of VMs were treated by semiconductor laser combined with polidocanol. All patients diagnosed as VM according to MRI examination and evaluation by 2 experienced physicians. All patients accepted at least once combined therapy and all the treatment were finished under the DSA. Three months after the therapy, all patients got MRI re-examination. The effectiveness is evaluated by the improvement of the lesions. Results Totally 89 times combined therapy were performed, average 1.56 ±0.12 times per child. Twelve patients were cured and 42 children got improvement of the lesion or their clinical symptoms. Three patients did not achieve any improvement. The cure rate was 21.04% and the total efficiency rate was 94.74%. The main side effects were swelling, pain and bubble. Twenty-four children appeared a local swelling of the lesion region after treatment, and improved spontaneously. Seventeen patients felt painful after the treatment and regressed in 24 hours after the treatment finished. Three children appeared a bubble at the therapy location, 2 patients regressed after 2 weeks without any special treatment, but one child appeared a secondary ulcer after the bubble was ruptured. Although the ulceration was healed after 2 weeks ' wound nursing, but the scar was left inevitably. Conclusion The combined application of semiconductor laser and polidocanol under the DSA for the treatment of venous malformations in children is safe and effective. Especially in those children who have draining veins in their lesions, the therapy is helpful in improving the therapy efficiency and reduce the treatment times.

Key words: Semiconductor laser, Polidocanol, Combined therapy, Venous malformation