Authors: Elisabetta Buscarini Luigi Buscarini
Publish Date: 2003/10/17
Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 31-37
Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe type and rate of complications in a series of patients with liver tumors treated by the radiofrequency RF expandable system A total of 166 patients 114 with hepatocellular carcinoma HCC 92 small HCC 22 large and 52 with liver metastasis were treated by the percutaneous RF expandable system In large HCCs RF ablation was performed after tumor ischemia TAE or balloon stop flow of the hepatic artery Major complications were those that delayed hospital discharge with or without additional medical procedures or treatments Minor complications did not require an additional hospital stay No deaths occurred Among 151 patients followed there were 7 46 early major complications—severe pain with session interruption in 3 cases capsular necrosis in 1 case 1 abdominal wall necrosis 1 dorsal burning 1 peritoneal hemorrhage—and 3 19 delayed major complications sterile fluid collection at the site of the treated tumor in 2 cases and cutaneous seeding in 1 case There were 49 325 minor complications The complication rate is similar to that observed after percutaneous alcohol injection PEI With the cooled system the complication rate is seemingly lower but that may well be due to a different definition of major complications The seeding rate after expandable system ablation is lower than after PEI It is the same as or lower than that in other series of patients treated by the cooled system
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