On the day of the procedure patients do not need to starve. A light meal and staying hydrated are recommended but a heavy meal within three to four hours of the procedure should be avoided.
The procedure is performed in an ultrasound or treatment room and normally takes around 15 to 20 minutes to perform. There is no need to undress provided there is good access to the neck area with an open neck collar but sometimes it is helpful to wear a hospital gown over normal clothing to keep the area clean and avoid any spillages of cleaning fluid over normal clothing.
Patients lie on their back in a comfortable position with the neck slightly extended. The area is cleaned and a drape used to keep the skin sterile. The procedure is then performed under ultrasound guidance. Local anaesthetic is injected in to the skin with a very fine needle and stings mildly before taking effect. A tiny incision only a couple of millimetres in size then allows insertion of a small plastic tube or cannula into the nodule. The fluid within the nodule is then fully aspirated (emptied). Ethanol is then injected, retained for a few minutes and then normally removed. Ethanol injection should not be painful. The cannula is then removed, pressure applied for a few minutes and a small plaster used to cover the access point.
