OK-432 sclerotherapy of cervical chylous lymphocele after neck dissection.
OBJECTIVE
Postoperative cervical chylous lymphoceles are extremely rare circumscribed collections of lymph which are usually treated by drainage or surgical exploration, but rarely by sclerotherapy. We investigated the efficacy of OK-432 (Picibanil, Chungai Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan) sclerotherapy in the treatment of cervical lymphocele after neck dissection.


METHODS
Four patients with postoperative lymphocele who could not be cured by repeated percutaneous needle aspiration and pressure dressing were treated with intralesional injection of 0.1-0.2 mg OK-432 after aspiration of fluid. The aspirated fluid was assessed biochemically and cytologically, and regular palpation and ultrasonography/computed tomography were used to evaluate outcomes and recurrences.


RESULTS
Two patients with chyle leak during neck dissection had lymphoceles in the left supraclavicular region 3 weeks later. The other two patients had lymphoceles on the right neck 9 and 12 months, respectively, after neck dissection. All aspirated fluids were chylous in origin without tumor cells. OK-432 sclerotherapy scored all four lesions with no major complications except for fever and local pain for several days. No lymphocele recurrences or metastatic cancers were observed in any patient for >1 year after sclerotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intralesional injection of OK-432 may be a safe and effective alternative to surgical exploration in the treatment of cervical lymphocele after neck dissection.
Roh
Jong-Lyel
JL
Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. rohjl@amc.seoul.kr
Park
Chan Il
CI
D000368:Aged; D002913:Chyle; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008210:Lymphocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D037981:Neck Dissection; D010844:Picibanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D010844:Picibanil