Sclerotherapy of abdominal lymphatic malformations with doxycycline.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous image-guided sclerotherapy with doxycycline as primary treatment of intraabdominal lymphatic malformations (LMs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of all cases of abdominal, mesenteric, or retroperitoneal LMs referred to a single center that were subsequently treated with image-guided percutaneous sclerotherapy.

RESULTS: Ten patients were included, of whom six were male. The mean age was 13 years (range, 2-28 y). Preprocedural cross-sectional imaging demonstrated a macrocystic malformation in nine patients and a mixed macrocystic/microcystic malformation in one. The malformation was accessed under sonographic guidance, followed by injection of opacified sclerosant agent under fluoroscopic guidance. A drainage catheter was placed in eight cases, in which sclerotherapy was repeated through the catheter for another 1 day (n = 2) or 2 days (n = 6). Doxycycline was reconstituted at 10 mg/mL, with a mean per-session dose of 608 mg (range, 80-1,000 mg) and a mean total dose of 1,230 mg (range, 80-3,000 mg). Peritoneal spill was identified in one case, but the patient remained asymptomatic. No other complications were encountered. Follow-up imaging was available in eight patients: complete resolution was seen in seven, with partial resolution in one. There was no recurrence of clinical symptoms in the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS: Initial results indicate that percutaneous image-guided sclerotherapy of macrocystic intraabdominal LMs with doxycycline is a safe and effective procedure.