title: Thoracic duct cyst: sclerotherapy as alternative for surgical treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thoracic duct cysts of the cervical portion are rare benign lesions for which surgery is the treatment of choice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present 2 cases of a thoracic duct cyst of the cervical portion. One patient was treated by surgery and the other patient by ethanol sclerotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After establishing diagnosis by radiologic assessment and chemical and cytological fine-needle aspirate of the cystic masses, both patients were treated successfully.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethanol sclerotherapy provides an alternative therapy for thoracic duct cyst when evaluation establishes a high likelihood of clinical diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dool
authors.forename: Remco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Bree
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: C René
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Leemans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol