Treatment of cystic lesions of soft tissue using fibrin sealant.

A new method was devised for treating 29 patients with cystic lesions of the soft tissue (popliteal cysts, bursitis, and ganglia) by injecting a fibrin sealant into the cyst after the aspiration of the contents. During the followup period (mean, 2.2 years), cysts did not recur in 22 (76%) patients. Of the 7 patients with recurrences, 4 were treated again in the same manner and 3 of these cases have not recurred. Additionally, to investigate the healing process in cysts, fibrin sealant was injected into the space between the abdominal muscle and the peritoneum of rats. Specimens were obtained after the rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after injection, and were examined histopathologically. The fibrin sealant was found to be completely resorbed and replaced with organized granulation tissue. In case of multiple failed aspirations to the cystic lesions, this new method is recommended before surgery.