1. Radiofrequency thermal ablationof hepatic metastases
- Author
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Tiziana Ierace, Luigi Solbiati, Massimo Tonolini, Valeria Osti, and Luca Cova
- Subjects
Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Percutaneous ,Acoustics and Ultrasonics ,Radiofrequency ablation ,General Chemical Engineering ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Bioengineering ,Bowel perforation ,law.invention ,Metastasis ,Repeated treatment ,law ,medicine ,Humans ,Combined Modality Therapy ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,Ultrasonography, Interventional ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,business.industry ,Patient Selection ,Liver Neoplasms ,Ultrasound ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Ablation ,Surgery ,Catheter Ablation ,Radiology ,Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ,Colorectal Neoplasms ,business - Abstract
Percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a promising therapeutic option for liver metastases, which may result in prolonged survival and chance for cure. Recent technological advancements provide larger coagulation volumes, allowing treatment of medium- and large-size metastases. Candidates are patients with metachronous liver metastases from colorectal or other primary cancers, in whom surgery is contraindicated and with one to four nodules each smaller than approx. 4 cm. We treated 109 patients with 172 colorectal metastases in the liver. Local control was obtained in 70.4% of lesions. Recurrence was significantly more frequent in lesions >3 cm. One major complication occurred (0.6% of sessions), a large bowel perforation requiring surgery. Seven minor complications did not require therapy. New metastases developed at follow-up in 50.4% of patients. Survival rates are 67% and 33% after 2 and 3 years, respectively; estimated median survival being 30 months. RF ablation advantages include minimal-invasiveness (no mortality, significantly lower complications), reduced costs and hospital stays compared to surgery, feasibility in non-surgical candidates, and the potential of repeated treatment if local recurrence occurs or new metastases develop.
- Published
- 2001
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