[Treatment of autonomous and cystic thyroid nodules with intranodular ethanol injection].
Intranodular ethanol injection has been used for the past 10 years as an efficient modality for treating patients with thyroid nodules. Several studies have reported the success of this therapy in autonomous and cystic nodules and, more recently, in cold benign nodules.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of this therapeutic modality on the treatment of autonomous and cystic thyroid nodules.


METHODS
42 patients (26 with cystic and 16 with autonomous nodules) were treated with ultrasound guided intranodular 99% ethanol injection and followed for 6 months.


RESULTS
No major complications were observed during or after treatment, however, most of the patients reported slight to moderate pain and/or discomfort after the injection. Most of the nodules showed reduction after the treatment. Autonomous nodules had a mean reduction of 50.3% and cystic nodules of 69.3%. No significant differences in pretreatment serum total T3, total T4 or TSH were observed among the patients in the cystic group. Patients in the autonomous group with hyperfunctioning nodules showed a decrease in serum total T3, total T4 and an increase in serum TSH levels, hence, proving the effectiveness of this therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intranodular ethanol injection is a safe and efficient treatment for autonomous and cystic nodules of the thyroid.
Braga-Basaria
Milena
M
Serviço de Endocrinologia e Metabologia do Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil. bragamd@aol.com
Trippia
Marcus Adriano
MA
Stolf
Anderson Ravy
AR
Mesa
Cléo
C
Graf
Hans
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000431:Ethanol