Improved Sealed Venous Indwelling Needle in Ultrasound‐Guided Thyroid Cyst Puncture Sclerotherapy: Characteristics and Applications

Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of an improved sealed venous indwelling needle for ultrasound‐guided sclerotherapy of thyroid cysts in comparison with the standard percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) needles. Methods Two trapezoidal incisions (2 mm in topline, 1 mm in baseline, and 1 mm in height) were made along the needle core groove at the soft distal end of a sealed venous indwelling needle to create a novel open‐window sealed venous indwelling needle. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of this improved needle, we conducted a prospective cohort study with a historical control group, comparing the improved needle with standard 21‐gauge PTC needles in the treatment of 68 cystic thyroid nodules. Key outcomes included technical success, which encompasses successful needle placement, complete aspiration, and sclerosant delivery, as well as a reduction in cyst volume at the 3‐month follow‐up, and procedural outcomes, complications (bleeding, infection, and extravasation), procedural pain, and patient satisfaction (assessed using a 5‐point Likert scale). Results Sixty‐eight cysts in 52 patients (median age, 54 years) were treated. Technical success was achieved in 94.1% (32/34) procedures versus 87.5% (28/34) in the PTC needle cohort ( p = 0.27). The mean cyst volume reduction was 82.51% (range, 52%–100%) at 3 months. Complications occurred in 3 (two hematomas and one transient hyperthyroidism), with no infections or nerve injury. Patient‐reported pain scores were 1 (IQR 1‐2) and dropped by 43%. Overall satisfaction was 97% (66/68). The improved sealed venous indwelling needle was significantly superior to the PTC needle in terms of procedural pain, comfort, complication rate, and overall patient experience ( p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant differences were observed in recovery speed, involution efficacy, operator skill, or communication clarity ( p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion The improved sealed venous indwelling needle provides higher technical success, greater cyst volume reduction, fewer complications, and less pain than PTC needles, offering a safer and more effective alternative for ultrasound‐guided thyroid cyst sclerotherapy.