Combined ethanol and lauromacrogol sclerotherapy for ovarian endometriotic cysts: a retrospective clinical and experimental study

Ovarian endometriotic cysts can reduce ovarian reserve, and surgery may further damage ovarian tissue. Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy is a less invasive option, but evidence for combined sclerosants is limited. We retrospectively evaluated 84 women with ovarian endometriotic cysts treated with combined ethanol–lauromacrogol sclerotherapy and performed a complementary mouse experiment to assess short-term changes. One month after treatment, cyst diameter, cyst volume and serum CA-125 were significantly reduced. Serum AMH, FSH and LH did not significantly change, procedural pain was generally mild, and no major procedure-related complications were recorded. AFC increased after treatment, although this may reflect better sonographic visualization after cyst shrinkage rather than improved ovarian function. In mice with OEC-like lesions, ethanol, lauromacrogol, and combined treatment reduced cyst burden within 7 days, but the combined regimen did not demonstrate superiority over either monotherapy. Collagen deposition was lower in treated groups, while serum AMH and CTGF did not differ significantly among groups. These findings suggest that combined ethanol–lauromacrogol sclerotherapy is feasible for selected patients and is associated with short-term cyst reduction without early measurable deterioration in selected ovarian reserve-related markers. Comparative clinical benefit, long-term recurrence control, and reproductive safety remain unestablished and require prospective controlled studies with longer follow-up.