Abstract
In the past eight years eighteen patients with large liver cyst underwent injection of absolute ethanol or carbon dioxide under ultrasonically guided percutaneous puncture and catheter drainage.
Sixteen of the 18 patients were treated with absolute ethanol injection and there was remarkable decrease in size of the cysts after this treatment in all of them. In patients followed up for over 5 years the decreased cysts did not expand again and no malignant change was observed. Some patients, however, had complications including serious ones such as hypotention, arhythmia and abscess formation in the liver which might be cause by regurgitation infection due to the indwelt catheter. It was thought that the cystic fluid in the large cysts over 10cm in diameter should be drained before absolute ethanol injection, but it should be withdrawn soon after injection because of probable risk of infection.
Two of the 18 patients were treated with carbon dioxide injection and both cysts decreased after the treatment. Injection of carbon dioxide under ultrasonographic guidance is simple and harmless method. This treatment for hepatic cysts may be considered as an alternative to absolute ethanol injection therapy.
