OK-432: An effective sclerosing agent for the treatment of lymphangiomas of head and neck

OK-432: An effective sclerosing agent for the treatment of
lymphangiomas of head and neck
Baskota DK, Singh BB, Sinha BK
Assoc Professor, Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, TU Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu.
FCPS Resident (II year), Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, TU - Teaching Hospital,
Professor & Unit Chief, Department
of ENT - Head & Neck Surgery, TU Teaching Hospital
Abstract
Objective: The basic objective of this study was to find out the efficacy of OK-432 for the conservative treatment of
lymphangiomas of head and neck regions at the Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery of Tribhuvan University
Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Kathmandu, Nepal.
Methods: It was a hospital based prospective, cross-sectional, case series, conducted among the patients suffering
from different lymphangiomas of head and neck regions and treated with intra-lesional injection of OK-432, from
March, 2005 to September 2006. Altogether eleven patients were enrolled in this modality of treatment out of which
one patient was excluded from the study, which was treated surgically due to very ugly scar at the site of lesion
resulting from previous surgery for the same. The data were analyzed by using simple mathematical tools like
percentage and frequency.
Results: Out of ten patients treated with intralesional injection of OK-432, absolute response, i.e. total resolution of
swelling was found in nine patients (90%) after the first dose. Remaining one patient also responded well on the
treatment but some residual swelling was in situ for which second dose was given. After the second dose it was also
totally resolved. In this way we achieved 100% response after the second dose of OK-432.
Conclusion: The results of this study so far indicate that OK-432 is an effective and safe tool for the treatment of
lymphangioma of head and neck region. As the procedure can be done in an out patient department, without
hospitalization and has got minimal side effects, it can be proposed as the first line treatment of lymphangiomas of
head and neck.
Key words: Lymphangioma, OK-432, Sclerotherapy, Sclerosing agent, Head and Neck
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