Capillary malformations (port-wine stains) consist of abnormally developed capillary blood
vessels in the skin. To date, laser therapy is the only widely accepted treatment modality
for capillary malformations, but this therapy has a suboptimal effect in approximately 50-60%
of patients.
Intralesional bleomycin injections (sclerotherapy) are a common effective treatment option
for vascular malformations with blood vessels with larger diameters. However, bleomycin
cannot be injected adequately in the small sized vessels of capillary malformations. The use
of an electric field over the tissue (electroporation) may solve this problem: it increases
cell membrane permeability and therefore promotes localized delivery of drugs, within
(endothelial) cells.
Electroporation in combination with bleomycin sclerotherapy ('electrosclerotherapy') may
therefore offer new therapeutic options for capillary malformations. This proof of principle
study aims to explore the effectiveness, safety and feasibility of this potential treatment
option in a within-patient-controlled pilot study.