Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy – A guide for patients

Introduction

This leaflet is for patients booked for an ultrasound guided sclerotherapy procedure as part of the treatment for a simple cyst (liver or kidney).

What is an ultrasound guided sclerotherapy?

An ultrasound guided sclerotherapy is a procedure where a small plastic tube is inserted to drain your cyst then alcohol is injected to prevent the cyst from growing back.

Normally cysts do not show up on an ordinary x-ray so a special dye, called contrast medium, is injected into the cyst through a fine plastic tube called a catheter to make them visible.

A combination of ultrasound images and x-rays are taken during the procedure. These images will assist the doctors in performing the procedure.

Why do I need this procedure?

You have a cyst in your liver or kidney that has caused you pain. It has been drained but has grown back. This procedure is to treat the inside of the cyst so that it can’t grow back.

Who has made the decision for me to have this procedure?

The consultant in charge of your case and the radiologist performing the ultrasound guided sclerotherapy will have discussed your case and come to the conclusion that this is the best way of treating your condition.

You will have the opportunity for your opinion to be taken into account, and if after discussion with your doctors, you do not want the procedure carried out, you can decide against it.

Who will be performing the procedure and other staff you are likely to meet?

A specially trained doctor called an Interventional Radiologist will be performing your procedure.

• Radiologists have special expertise in using x-ray equipment and in interpreting the images produced, as well as performing minimally invasive procedures.
• They will look at these images whilst carrying out the procedure.
• The Interventional Radiologist will be assisted by a radiographer and nurses and/or other Radiology doctors or trainees.

Where will the procedure take place?

You will be taken to the Interventional Radiology Department.

What happens before my procedure?

• You will be admitted to the Radiology Day Unit (RDU) prior to the procedure.
• A doctor will take a medical history from you.
• You may have a small needle put into a vein in your arm for painkillers to be given if necessary.
• Standard blood tests may be carried out.
• You may eat a light meal before the procedure.

If you have any allergies you must let your doctor know and a red allergy band will be attached to your wrist.

If you take any medications to thin the blood (anticoagulants or antiplatelets) please let us know beforehand, as these will need to be stopped a certain length of time before the procedure.

Examples include:

• warfarin, dalteparin, enoxaparin, tinzaparin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, clopidogrel, ticagrelor.
• Low dose aspirin (75mg) is safe to continue.

Please discuss with a doctor before stopping any medicines, as sometimes other treatment will need to be given.

If you have previously reacted to intravenous contrast medium (the dye used for CT scans), you must also tell your doctor about this.

What happens during the procedure?

• You will lie on the x-ray table, generally flat on your back to start.
• You will have a monitoring device attached to your finger and will have a blood pressure cuff placed around your arm.
• The procedure is performed under sterile conditions and the radiologist and scrub nurse will wear sterile theatre gowns and operating gloves.
• Antiseptic solution will be used to clean the skin and local anaesthetic will be injected.
• The radiologist will use ultrasound to guide a needle into the cyst then a plastic tube (drain) will be inserted.
• The fluid from the cyst will be drained.
• Alcohol will be injected inside the cyst. You will be asked to lie on your left side, right side and front in turn for around 5 minutes in each position. The alcohol will then be removed.
• The drain will then be taken out.

Will the procedure hurt?

Some discomfort may be felt in the skin and deeper tissues during injection of the local anaesthetic.

There will be a nurse, or another member of the clinical staff, in the room looking after you.

If the procedure does become uncomfortable, please let a member of staff know.

How long does the procedure take?

Every patient’s situation is different, and it is not always easy to predict how complex or straightforward the procedure will be. Generally, the procedure will last approximately 45 minutes.

What happens after the procedure?

• You will be taken back to the Radiology Day Unit (RDU).
• Nursing staff may carry out routine observations including taking your pulse and blood pressure and will also check the treatment site.
• If you experience pain or sickness let the nursing staff know.
• You will need to stay in bed for up to 2 hours.

What are the benefits and possible risks of the procedure?

Benefits

• This procedure will treat the inside of the cyst so that it can’t grow back.
• This should stop the pain that the cyst is causing.

Risks

• Ultrasound guided cyst sclerotherapy is a safe procedure.
• You may feel minor pain as the tube is inserted but local anaesthetic should prevent this pain.
• There is a very small risk of infection, but the procedure will be performed under sterile conditions.
• There is a small risk of bleeding from the liver or kidney. On rare occasions another procedure may be needed to stop the bleeding.
• On rare occasions, the alcohol that is injected into the cyst can be absorbed into your blood stream and make you feel unwell.
• There is a very small risk of the alcohol injection leaking into an adjacent organ although precautions are taken to prevent this happening.
• It is sometimes necessary to repeat the procedure several weeks later if the cyst grows back.

Radiation

• You have been referred for an Interventional Radiology procedure to help deliver your treatment. A specialist in radiology agrees that this is the best procedure to treat your clinical condition and that the benefit of the examination is greater than the risk.
• The x-ray involves a dose of ionising radiation equivalent to a few months or years of natural background radiation which we are all exposed to every day.
• Ionising radiation can cause cell damage that may turn cancerous, however the risk of this happening from your examination is considered low.
• Depending on the length of the procedure there may also be a small risk of an excess radiation dose to the skin leading to short term and long-term effects (e.g. reddening of the skin and burns).
• If this happens as a result of this procedure, you will receive further advice following the procedure. The dose delivered will be kept as low as is practicable.
• For further information please see the information on our webpage.

Accessibility requirements

If you require support for your appointment, e.g. if you find it hard to hear, see or be understood by others, please let the receptionist or healthcare professional know on arrival or contact us - email CUH Accessibility (opens in a new tab) or telephone 01223 256998.

Pregnancy status

We have a legal responsibility to enquire if you are pregnant. Any patient aged between 12-55 years will be asked if there is a possibility they could be pregnant. This is important for us to know before you have your examination involving ionising radiation.

You can discuss this with a healthcare professional in private if you wish.

Medication

Bring all of your medicines (including inhalers, injections, creams, eye drops or patches) and a current repeat prescription from your GP.

Can I bring someone with me?

Those accompanying you may be required to stay out of the examination room during the procedure and remain in the waiting area.

Childcare whilst in the department

Staff are unable to look after or supervise children whilst your procedure is taking place. Please make alternative arrangements for the care of your children whilst you attend for your procedure. If you attend an appointment with children with no one to look after them whilst you have your procedure, then your appointment will unfortunately have to be cancelled and rescheduled.

Personal belongings

Patients are advised to bring minimal belongings and not to bring valuable items. Any valuable belongings (mobile phone, wallet etc.) will go with the patient while having their procedure and can be secured in a locked box/safe.

How, when and by whom will my results be communicated?

Imaging examinations are reported in order of clinical priority to ensure those with the highest urgency are reported first.

Your referring team or clinician will be responsible for communicating reports back to you.

Test results are made available via MyChart but there is 3-week delay from when an examination has been reported to when it is available on MyChart, in order to allow time for your clinical team to be able to see and action the results prior to them being released to the individual patient.

Contacts/ further information

Please call the Radiology Day Unit and speak to the Imaging Nurses, on telephone number 01223 254639 if you have any questions or concerns about this procedure.

Some of your questions about the procedure should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember this is only a starting point for discussion about your treatment with the doctors looking after you and you will be able to discuss any questions you have with them.

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Question, concern or complaint?

Firstly speak to your nurse, doctor or other staff member as soon as you can so they can do their best to put things right straightaway.

If you don’t feel able to speak directly to the people caring for you, contact the patient advice and liaison service (PALS). Please call 01223 216756 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, -email CUH PALS (opens in a new tab), or via a form available via link on the CUH PALS webpage.

PALS is open every weekday, and you can leave a message in the evenings and weekends.

MyChart

We would encourage you to sign up for MyChart. This is the electronic patient portal at Cambridge University Hospitals that enables patients to securely access parts of their health record held within the hospital’s electronic patient record system (Epic). It is available via your home computer or mobile device.

More information is available on the My Chart section on our website.

This document has been adapted from one prepared by the British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR).