title: Treatment Efficacy and Safety of Ethanol Ablation for Thyroglossal Duct Cysts: A Comparison with Surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy and safety of ethanol ablation (EA) for thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) against surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 345 patients (289, surgery; 56, EA) treated for TGDC at four institutions between May 2005 and June 2014. Surgery (whole surgery and Sistrunk operation which is the current standard surgical method) and EA were compared with respect to the treatment failure and complication rates. The cost of EA and surgery was also compared. The Cox regression hazard model and linear regression were used for the adjustment of covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EA demonstrated higher treatment failures (19.6% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001[whole surgery] and 1.2%, p = 0.004 [Sistrunk operation]), but fewer complications (1.8% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.04 [whole surgery] and 10.2%, p = 0.06 [Sistrunk operation]), and lower cost (₩423,801 vs. ₩1,435,707 [whole surgery]) than surgery. EA achieved 85.7% of treatment success up to second session. The mean volume reduction rate after EA was 82.3% at last follow-up. Young age and EA were correlated with treatment failure (p = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both surgery and EA had acceptable treatment efficacy in the management of TGDC. Although there is a higher likelihood of treatment failure with EA, it has a better safety profile than surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Both surgery and ethanol ablation show acceptable treatment efficacy for TGDC. • Considering treatment failure, surgery manages TGDC more effectively than EA. • EA is safer than surgery and presents no major complications. • EA could be an alternative treatment for TGDC in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea. radbaek@naver.com.
authors.forename: Jung Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Yuhl
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Thyroid Center, Daerim St. Mary's Hospital, Daerim, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sharing and Happiness Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Human Medical Imaging & Intervention Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Na
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012997:Solvents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Ethanol ablation; Postoperative complications; Surgery; Thyroglossal duct cyst; Treatment outcome