Intralesional Copper Wire or Needle Retention in Vascular Anomalies. A Systematic Review

Objective: The management of vascular anomalies has evolved from primarily surgical approaches to a comprehensive strategy including sclerotherapy, surgery for specific cases, compression, and laser therapy, which are not always successful. An intriguing, though less common, treatment involves using intralesional copper wires/needles. The authors’ aim is to evaluate the role of intralesional copper wires/needles in the treatment of vascular anomalies. Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for all papers dealing with the use of copper wires or needles for vascular malformations, using the search strings: (copper wire vascular malformation OR copper needle and vascular malformation OR percutaneous copper needles OR percutaneous copper wires). Results: Nine articles were identified and used for analysis. Most studies were case series with short follow-up periods and lacked an objective and systematic evaluation score. Conclusions: Copper wire therapy shows considerable promise as a treatment for vascular anomalies, offering significant benefits in terms of cost-effectiveness and safety. However, the current research is limited, necessitating further studies to establish standardized protocols and optimize therapeutic outcomes. This therapy holds the potential as a valuable addition to the range of treatments available for vascular anomalies.