Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy of neck cysts as an alternative to surgery

Summary Introduction: Some extrathyroidal cervical cystic lesions can be treated in selected situations by minimally invasive, low-risk method – ultrasound--guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (US-PEIT). Here we present 6 cases of neck cysts of various origins – ranula, thyroglossal duct cyst, branchial cleft cyst, midline neck cyst of the pyramidal lobe and dermoid cyst. Method and material: The cohort consisted of 6 patients (mean age 58 ± 13.3 years), who were followed for recurrent cervical cysts located outside the thyroid gland. The cysts were visible, palpable, aesthetically unpleasant and also mechanically compressing the surrounding tissue. After repeated evacuations, they filled in again. The patients repeatedly refused the recommended surgery and demanded an alternative solution. US-PEIT of thyroid cysts is used worldwide as a full-fledged alternative to surgical treatment. We used the same procedure for the treatment of presented neck cysts. Results: The initial volume of cysts was 2–35 mL (mean 17.7 mL); the patients underwent 1–6 sclerotization sessions (mean 3.6). The patients were followed for 12 months; the final volume of solid residue was 0.1–2 mL (mean 1 mL) representing volume reduction by 80–99% (mean 92%). Therapeutic success (volume reduction > 50%) was achieved in all patients. Conclusion: US-PEIT of cervical cysts as an alternative to surgery can be used especially in elderly patients with increased surgical risk or in patients refusing surgery. In middle-aged and older adults, the possibility of a necrotic metastatic lymph node should always be considered. Therefore, a benign cytological examination and an unsuspecting ultrasonographic and CT finding are the basic conditions before performing the ethanol ablation. Key words neck cysts – ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy

Study protocol for endoscopic ultrasonography-guided ethanol injection therapy for patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm: a multicentre prospective study

IntroductionThe management of small pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) remains controversial. The standard treatment for PNENs is surgical resection; however, invasiveness of surgical procedure remains higher and the incidence of postoperative adverse events is still high. Recently, the efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided ethanol injection for small PNENs has been preliminarily demonstrated. Thus, a multicentre prospective study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EUS-guided ethanol injection therapy for small PNENs.Methods and analysisThe major eligibility criteria are the presence of pathologically diagnosed grade (G) 1 tumour, a tumour size of ≤15 mm and non-functional PNEN or insulinoma. For treatment, we will use a 25-gauge needle and pure ethanol. Contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) will be performed on postoperative day 3–5, and if enhanced areas of the tumour are still apparent, an additional session is scheduled during the same hospitalisation period. We set the total amount of ethanol per session to 2 mL. To evaluate the efficacy and safety, CE-CT will be performed at 1 and 6 months after treatment. The primary endpoint is the percentage of subjects who achieved all of the following evaluated points. Efficacy will be evaluated based on the achievement of complete ablation (defined as no enhanced area within the tumour on CE-CT) at 1 and 6 months. Safety will be evaluated based on the avoidance of severe adverse events within 1 month after treatment, continuing severe pancreatic fistula at 1 month after treatment and the incidence and/or exacerbation of diabetes mellitus at 6 months after treatment.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol has been approved by Okayama University Certified Review Board (approval number. CRB19-007). The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at international conferences.Trial registration numberjRCTs061200016.

Long-term survival of 11 years with multidisciplinary therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis to the ovary and peritoneum: a case report

We herein report a rare case of HCC metastases to the ovary and peritoneum in a 61-year-old female patient who has achieved 11-year survival with multidisciplinary therapy. The patient was diagnosed with HCC during balloon angioplasty performed for Budd–Chiari syndrome in 1994 and underwent partial hepatectomy twice. Five years after the second hepatectomy, allochronic recurrence of a single nodule detected in S8 was treated by radiofrequency ablation, followed by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy. However, her α-fetoprotein level rose to 1862 ng/mL within one year and computed tomography revealed a large pelvic tumor suggesting HCC metastasis to the ovary. The subsequent laparotomy revealed one 11-cm left ovarian tumor, one small right ovarian nodule, and numerous peritoneal nodules. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and peritoneal resection of as many nodules as possible were performed. Combination therapy with intravenous 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin and ramucirumab monotherapy effectively suppressed tumor progression with maintenance of hepatic functional reserve, and she has achieved long-term survival of 11 years, illustrating that multidisciplinary therapy with favorable hepatic functional reserve maintenance can contribute to long-term survival in HCC with extrahepatic spread.