Lymphoceles: percutaneous treatment with povidone-iodine sclerosis

Although percutaneous procedures have gained a degree of acceptance for treatment of lymphoceles, success rates for aspiration and drainage have been less than optimal. The authors investigated transcatheter sclerosis of pelvic lymphoceles with povidone-iodine as a method to increase the success rate of percutaneous management. Eight patients with a total of nine pelvic lymphoceles were treated with this method. Eight of the nine lymphoceles (89%) resolved without complications. Four patients had undergone lymphadenectomy and four, renal transplantation. The duration of catheter drainage ranged from 15 to 37 days. Four of the lymphoceles were found to be infected at initial drainage, but this did not alter the amount of time the catheter was left in place. One lymphocele failed to heal with sclerotherapy and required internal drainage. The early results with transcatheter povidone-iodine sclerosis of postoperative lymphoceles are encouraging and warrant further evaluation.