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[Percutaneous cryosurgery for liver tumors].
H Nakazaki1, M Watanabe, Y Hasebe
1First Dept. of Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer & Chemotherapy
|November 16, 2001
Summary
A novel cryoprobe enables percutaneous cryoablation for small liver tumors. This minimally invasive technique shows promise for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases, particularly for tumors under 3 cm.
Area of Science:
- Hepatobiliary Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
- Oncology
Context:
- Percutaneous cryoablation is an emerging technique for liver tumor treatment.
- Developing effective and minimally invasive methods for small liver lesions is crucial.
- Existing techniques may have limitations in achieving complete tumor destruction.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new cryoprobe for percutaneous cryoablation of small liver tumors.
- To assess the feasibility of using ultrasonic guidance for cryoprobe placement.
- To determine the optimal tumor size for this treatment modality.
Summary:
- A new 3 mm cryoprobe was used for percutaneous cryoablation in 15 patients (10 hepatocellular carcinoma, 5 liver metastases).
- Tumors ranged from <2 cm to >3 cm; lesions were frozen with liquid nitrogen for 15-20 minutes, followed by thawing.
- Experimental data showed ice ball expansion to 3 cm in 20 minutes and 5 cm in 60 minutes. Clinical outcomes included 6 complete responses (CR), 5 partial responses (PR), 2 non-complete (NC), and 2 progressive disease (PD).
Impact:
- Percutaneous cryoablation with this probe demonstrated no adverse effects on liver function or complications.
- The technique is recommended for liver tumors smaller than 3 cm due to limitations in ice ball size.
- This study highlights the potential of cryoablation for select small liver malignancies.