Percutaneous ethanol injection for thyroid cysts: a word of caution

Reciprocating procedure device for thyroid cyst aspiration and ablative sclerotherapy

Most thyroid cysts are benign; however, they require aspiration if symptomatic or atypical on ultrasound scanning, and ablation with ethanol injection if recurrent. We have systematically studied the use of new safety technologies for surgical procedures, which protect both the surgeon and the patient. Here, we describe the use of one such technology, the reciprocating procedure device, which enables simpler, safer, more efficient and less painful thyroid cyst aspiration and therapeutic ablation.

Esclerose: uma opção de tratamento para os nódulos tireoidianos císticos

OBJETIVO: Verificar o efeito da injeção percutânea de etanol guiada por ultra-sonografia no tratamento dos nódulos tireoidianos císticos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Comparou-se o volume de 34 nódulos benignos císticos, em 30 pacientes (26 do sexo feminino e quatro do sexo masculino), antes e uma média de 3,9 meses depois da alcoolização. O volume inicial dos nódulos foi avaliado por dois observadores, que realizaram a ultra-sonografia em momentos diferentes, sem qualquer informação prévia a respeito do tamanho dos nódulos, cuja finalidade foi conhecer a variação interobservador das medidas ecográficas. RESULTADOS: A média de volume dos nódulos antes do tratamento foi de 12,3 ± 18,0 ml. A média de redução de volume foi de 74,0 ± 26,1% (p = 0,0001), e 20,6% (7/34) deles desapareceram. Não houve correlação entre o volume inicial e o percentual de redução dos nódulos. A média de variação das medidas interobservadores foi de 0,5 ml para um alfa de 5%. Dor moderada, no momento da aplicação, foi a complicação mais freqüente. CONCLUSÃO: A injeção percutânea de etanol é uma opção segura e eficaz no tratamento dos nódulos tireoidianos císticos.

Efeito da injeção percutânea de etanol na redução de nódulos tireoideanos

Para verificar a eficácia da injeção percutânea de etanol (IPE) no tratamento de nódulos tireoideanos (NT) comparou-se o volume de 86 nódulos (77 pacientes), antes e após uma ou duas sessões de alcoolização. As medianas do volume inicial e final foram respectivamente: 3,5 mL (0,3 a 82,7) e 1,8 mL (0 a 29,4). Sete por cento dos nódulos desapareceram e a média de redução volumétrica foi de 52,6% ± 31,1 (p< 0,0001). Os diferentes padrões ultra-sonográficos responderam distintamente ao tratamento, com as seguintes medianas de redução: 37,3% (variando de -39,0 a 82,6) nos NT sólidos; 53,5% (14,6 a 88,0) nos predominantemente sólidos; 58,0% (21,0 a 64,5) nos mistos; 71,0% (18,8 a 100,0) nos predominantemente císticos e 90,9% (45,9 a 100,0) nos císticos. Adicionalmente, buscou-se comparar a variação do maior diâmetro dos NT, inicialmente sem tratamento, e após a alcoolização, cuja diferença foi estatisticamente significante (p< 0,00001). A complicação mais freqüente foi dor moderada, em 27,6% dos casos. Concluímos que a IPE mostrou ser uma forma de tratamento segura e eficaz no tratamento de NT benignos.

Treatment of recurrent thyroid cysts with ethanol: a randomized double-blind controlled trial

Thyroid nodules are prevalent; when evaluated by ultrasonography (US), 15-25% of solitary thyroid nodules are cystic or predominantly cystic, and most are benign. Simple aspiration is the treatment of choice, but the recurrence rate is 10-80% depending on the number of aspirations and the cyst volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on recurrence rate of benign recurrent thyroid cysts in a double-blind randomized study comparing ethanol instillation with instillation of isotonic saline and subsequent complete emptying. Sixty-six consecutive patients with recurrent and benign (based on US-guided biopsy) thyroid cysts (>or=2 ml) were randomly assigned to either subtotal cyst aspiration, flushing with 99% ethanol, and subsequent complete fluid aspiration (n = 33), or to subtotal cyst aspiration, flushing with isotonic saline, and subsequent complete fluid aspiration (n = 33). In case of recurrence (defined as cyst volume >1 ml) at the monthly evaluations, the treatment was repeated but limited to a maximum of three treatments. Procedures were US-guided, and patients were followed for 6 months. Age, sex, number of previous aspirations, pretreatment cyst volume, and serum TSH did not differ in the two groups. Cure (defined as a cyst volume <or=1 ml at the end of follow-up) was obtained in 27 of 33 [82%; confidence interval (CI), 65-93] patients treated with ethanol and in 16 of 33 (48%; CI, 31-66) patients treated with saline (P = 0.006). In the ethanol group, 21 of 33 (64%) patients were cured after one session only, compared with six of 33 (18%) in the saline group (P = 0.002). The number of previous aspirations (P = 0.005) and baseline cyst volume (P = 0.005) had influence on outcome, i.e. the chance of success decreased with the number of previous aspirations and with increasing cyst volume. Seven patients (21%) treated with ethanol had moderate to severe pain (median duration, 5 min; CI, 2-10), and one had transient dysphonia. Indirect laryngoscopy was performed before and after the last session and was normal in all patients. We concluded that treatment of recurrent thyroid cysts with ethanol is superior to simple aspiration and flushing with saline and devoid of serious side effects. Our study demonstrates that flushing with ethanol is a clinically significant nonsurgical alternative for thyroid cysts that recur despite repeat aspirations.

Management of simple nodular goiter: current status and future perspectives

The simple nodular goiter, the etiology of which is multifactorial, encompasses the spectrum from the incidental asymptomatic small solitary nodule to the large intrathoracic goiter, causing pressure symptoms as well as cosmetic complaints. Its management is still the cause of considerable controversy. The mainstay in the diagnostic evaluation is related to functional and morphological characterization with serum TSH and (some kind of) imaging. Because malignancy is just as common in patients with a multinodular goiter as patients with a solitary nodule, we support the increasing use of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (cytology). Most patients need no treatment after malignancy is ruled out. In case of cosmetic or pressure symptoms, the choice in multinodular goiter stands between surgery, which is still the first choice, and radioiodine if uptake is adequate. In addition to surgery, the solitary nodule, whether hot or cold, can be treated with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. If hot, radioiodine is the therapy of choice. Randomized studies are scarce, and the side effects of nonsurgical therapy are coming into focus. Therefore, the use of the optimum option in the individual patient cannot at present be based on evidence. However, we are of the view that levothyroxine, although widely used, should no longer be recommended routinely for this condition. Within a few years, the introduction of recombinant human TSH and laser therapy may profoundly alter the nonsurgical treatment of simple nodular goiter.

Sonographically guided percutaneous ethanol treatment of a symptomatic complex nodule with a large cystic component in a patient with thyroid hemiagenesis

Thyroid hemiagenesis is a rare anomaly that is usually discovered incidentally during the evaluation of unrelated thyroid disorders. We present the case of a patient with hemiagenesis of the left thyroid lobe and a large, recurrent, symptomatic complex nodule with a large cystic component that occupied most of the right lobe. She had previously undergone multiple unsuccessful aspirations of the cyst. The patient was successfully treated with an intranodular injection of ethanol under sonographic guidance. The success of this procedure resulted in the resolution of symptoms and avoidance of surgical resection of the right lobe, with resulting hypothyroidism. We recommend that ethanol injections be considered for treatment of symptomatic cystic or benign solid nodules in patients with thyroid hemiagenesis and in those who have undergone hemithyroidectomy and have symptomatic nodules.

Surgical and pathological changes after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy of thyroid nodules

Few data exist on the operative and pathological findings in patients having undergone previous percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) therapy of thyroid nodules. We report here our experience with 13 patients operated on by the same surgical team. Two pathologists, both blinded to the previous PEI treatment, carried out histological evaluation. Reasons for surgery included PEI failure, suspicion of malignancy, and tracheal compression. The operations did not pose any special problem from the technical point of view, and the postoperative courses were uneventful. One patient who had a second operation developed hypoparathyroidism, and laryngeal nerve palsy was never observed. The histological diagnosis was hyperplastic or adenomatous nodule in 12 cases and papillary thyroid cancer in 1. No difficulty was found in evaluating the nodule capsule and surrounding vessels. In two lesions, nuclear enlargement and clearing were identified in thyroid follicles immediately adjacent to necrotic or scarred areas. These changes were considered reactive. In conclusion, patients previously treated by PEI were operated on without special technical problems. Histological diagnosis was not hindered, and there was no difficulty in ruling out malignant lesions. PEI, however, should be performed only by skilled operators, and incidental ethanol seepage throughout the nodule capsule must be carefully avoided.