Ethanol sclerosis: one of the best treatments for thymic cyst in very elderly patients?
An 83-year-old female patient with a giant thymic cyst that was successfully treated by percutaneous aspiration and ethanol injection. The patient had complained of coughing and chest discomfort for several years. A chest X-ray film revealed the shadow of a large abnormal mass in the anterior mediastinum. We diagnosed it as a thymic cyst. The patient refused surgery because of her age. We chose a less invasive therapy, namely, ethanol sclerosis of the cyst. The cyst was successfully treated without any complications, and no recurrence was found at the one-year follow-up. This therapy may be one of the best treatments for thymic cysts, especially in very elderly patients.
Hirano
Y
Y
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Shimane Medical University.
Shimada
T
T
Kinoshita
Y
Y
Murakami
Y
Y
Kobayashi
K
K
Yoshitomi
H
H
Kitamura
J
J
Sano
K
K
Tanabe
K
K
Ishibashi
Y
Y
Murakami
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012997:Solvents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods
D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol