Aspiration-sclerotherapy results in effective control of liver volume in patients with liver cysts.
OBJECTIVE
To study the extent to which aspiration-sclerotherapy reduces liver volume and whether this therapy results in relief of symptoms.


RESULTS
Four patients, group I, with isolated large liver cysts, and 11 patients, group II, with polycystic livers, underwent aspiration-sclerotherapy. Average volume of aspirated cyst fluid was 1,044 ml (range 225-2,000 ml) in group I and 1,326 ml (range 40-4,200 ml) in group II. Mean liver volume before the procedure was 2,157 ml (range 1,706-2,841 ml) in group I and 4,086 ml (range 1,553-7,085 ml) in group II. This decreased after the procedure to 1,757 ml (range 1,479-2,187 ml) in group I. In group II there was a statistically significant decrease to 3,347 ml (range 1,249-6,930 ml, P = 0.008). Volume reduction was 17.1% (range -34.7% to -4.1%) and 19.2% (range -53.9% to +2.4%) in groups I and II, respectively. Clinical severity of all symptoms decreased, except for involuntary weight loss and pain in group II.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspiration-sclerotherapy is an effective means of achieving liver volume reduction and relief of symptoms.
van Keimpema
Loes
L
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. L.vanKeimpema@MDL.umcn.nl
de Koning
Daan B
DB
Strijk
Simon P
SP
Drenth
Joost P H
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013396:Suction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional