OK-432 sclerotherapy of lymphatic malformation in the head and neck: factors related to outcome.

Background: No previous study to the best of our knowledge has examined the multiple factors related to the outcome of OK-432 sclerotherapy of lymphatic malformations.
Objective: This study aimed to assess factors related to the successful outcome of OK-432 sclerotherapy for lymphatic malformations in the head and neck region.
Materials and Methods: During a 6-year period, OK-432 sclerotherapy was performed in 26 patients with lymphatic malformations. Several factors related to the efficacy of OK-432 sclerotherapy were evaluated, including the type (macrocystic or microcystic), the maximum lesion diameter, amount and hemorrhagic cytology of the aspirate, degree of aspiration, injected dose of OK-432 and post-therapy inflammation-related symptom. In all cases, ultrasound (US) follow-up was performed.
Results: Of the 26 cases, 13 (50%) showed successful elimination of the lymphatic malformations in the follow-up US after the initial session, and all successful cases were of the macrocystic type. The type of lymphatic malformation and the success of OK-432 sclerotherapy were significantly related (P = 0.0149). Of the 16 cases of complete aspiration, 11 (68.8%) showed a successful outcome. Further, of the 17 cases with inflammation-related symptom, 13 (76.5%) showed a successful outcome. While the degree of aspiration and presence of inflammation-related symptom showed a significant relationship with the success of OK-432 sclerotherapy (P < 0.05), no other factors showed a significant relationship.
Conclusion: The study results suggest that the macrocystic type and complete aspiration of cystic contents were important factors for the success of OK-432 sclerotherapy of lymphatic malformations, and that inflammation-related symptom was a predictor of a successful outcome.