Percutaneous renal cyst puncture and ethanol instillation

: Ultrasound-guided renal cyst puncture was performed on 26 renal cysts in 24 patients. Puncture of the renal cyst was performed with a 6 Fr single J catheter on a 19.5 gauge needle. In 7 cases, only aspiration of the cyst fluid was carried out. In the other cases, renal cysts were instillated with 95% ethanol as a sclerosing agent to prevent recurrence. All cases were followed up by ultrasound or computerized tomographic (CT) scan for 1 to 64 months. The ethanol-instillated renal cysts were more markedly reduced (average reduction rate: 90.9 +/- 14.7%) than the non-instillated cysts (average reduction rate 28.9 +/- 12.6%). After puncture of the renal cyst, pain and microhematuria disappeared in most patients who had received ethanol instillation. Minor complications such as pain and low grade fever were observed in some cases in this series, but not major complication. Thus, ultrasound-guided renal cyst puncture with 95% ethanol instillation is a useful procedure for the treatment of renal cysts.