PurposeTo describe our experience with sclerotherapy of postoperative lymphocele and to determine the risk factors for failure of treatment.Materials and MethodsFrom 1999 to 2007, 41 patients with postsurgical lymphocele were treated with sclerotherapy using a combination of Betadine, alcohol and doxycycline. The treatments were repeated at weekly intervals. The initial drainage volume of the lymphocele, the location of the lymphocele, the number of the treatments and the outcomes were retrospectively collected. IRB approval was obtained.ResultsIn 36 patients the lymphocele was drained percutaneously and in 5 patients the treatment was initiated through an existing surgically placed drainage tube. Sclerotherapy was successful in 33 (80%) patients. Complications that resulted in termination of the treatment were seen in 5 (12%) patients (testicular pain, cellulitis, post-treatment elevated creatinine, acute renal tubular necrosis and abdominal infection). In one of these patients the lymphocele resolved after resolution of the infection. There was no difference in the success rate between superficial intraabdominal and soft tissue lymphoceles. There was a statistically significant difference in the fluid volume at initial drainage between the failure group (1708 ± 1521 ml) and the success group (206 ± 213 ml) (p < 0.05).ConclusionSclerotherapy of postoperative lymphoceles is effective treatment. Success of sclerotherapy is directly related to the size of the lymphocele cavity. PurposeTo describe our experience with sclerotherapy of postoperative lymphocele and to determine the risk factors for failure of treatment. To describe our experience with sclerotherapy of postoperative lymphocele and to determine the risk factors for failure of treatment. Materials and MethodsFrom 1999 to 2007, 41 patients with postsurgical lymphocele were treated with sclerotherapy using a combination of Betadine, alcohol and doxycycline. The treatments were repeated at weekly intervals. The initial drainage volume of the lymphocele, the location of the lymphocele, the number of the treatments and the outcomes were retrospectively collected. IRB approval was obtained. From 1999 to 2007, 41 patients with postsurgical lymphocele were treated with sclerotherapy using a combination of Betadine, alcohol and doxycycline. The treatments were repeated at weekly intervals. The initial drainage volume of the lymphocele, the location of the lymphocele, the number of the treatments and the outcomes were retrospectively collected. IRB approval was obtained. ResultsIn 36 patients the lymphocele was drained percutaneously and in 5 patients the treatment was initiated through an existing surgically placed drainage tube. Sclerotherapy was successful in 33 (80%) patients. Complications that resulted in termination of the treatment were seen in 5 (12%) patients (testicular pain, cellulitis, post-treatment elevated creatinine, acute renal tubular necrosis and abdominal infection). In one of these patients the lymphocele resolved after resolution of the infection. There was no difference in the success rate between superficial intraabdominal and soft tissue lymphoceles. There was a statistically significant difference in the fluid volume at initial drainage between the failure group (1708 ± 1521 ml) and the success group (206 ± 213 ml) (p < 0.05). In 36 patients the lymphocele was drained percutaneously and in 5 patients the treatment was initiated through an existing surgically placed drainage tube. Sclerotherapy was successful in 33 (80%) patients. Complications that resulted in termination of the treatment were seen in 5 (12%) patients (testicular pain, cellulitis, post-treatment elevated creatinine, acute renal tubular necrosis and abdominal infection). In one of these patients the lymphocele resolved after resolution of the infection. There was no difference in the success rate between superficial intraabdominal and soft tissue lymphoceles. There was a statistically significant difference in the fluid volume at initial drainage between the failure group (1708 ± 1521 ml) and the success group (206 ± 213 ml) (p < 0.05). ConclusionSclerotherapy of postoperative lymphoceles is effective treatment. Success of sclerotherapy is directly related to the size of the lymphocele cavity. Sclerotherapy of postoperative lymphoceles is effective treatment. Success of sclerotherapy is directly related to the size of the lymphocele cavity.