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Objective: In this study, we aimed to present our experience and approach in cases with pelvic lymphocele, treated with imaging-guided percutaneous interventional therapy.
Material and Methods: In this study, 56 cases consulted with the diagnosis of lymphocele in the abdomen and treated percutaneously in the Interventional Radiology unit of our hospital between 2012-2018, were included and the data were analyzed retrospectively. The lymphoceles with a volume below 100 cc and the contents of which were hemorrhagic, were treated with simple aspiration or sampling only, and in cases over 100 cc, percutaneous catheter drainage was performed with or without sclerotherapy.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.2 (range: 20-82, SD: 13.7). Lymphocele average volume was measured as 430.2 cc (range: 8-4500 cc, SD: 720.8). The most common etiological factor was gynecological malignancy in 91%of patients (n=51). Percutaneous drainage catheter was placed in 45 patients with lymphocele volume >100 cc and 39 of these patients were treated with ethanol sclerotherapy. Drainage was achieved by simple aspiration in 9 of 11 cases with lymphocele volume <100 cc. Recurrence was observed in 7 cases (12.5%) after the treatments. Success rates were 94.8%(37/39) in cases undergoing sclerotherapy and 66.6%(4/6) in cases undergoing percutaneous drainage catheter without sclerotherapy.
Conclusion: Sclerotherapy of pelvic lymphoceles with ethanol is a more effective treatment method than simple aspiration and sclerotherapy-free drainage method. In percutaneous treatments, the length of hospital stay is dramatically shorter compared to surgical methods, and the procedure is less invasive.