Laparoscopic ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) is a standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
• PEIT can be challenging for HCC tumors undetectable by ultrasonography or in surgically difficult locations.
• Laparoscopic ethanol injection therapy (LEIT) presents an alternative approach for specific HCC cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic ethanol injection therapy (LEIT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located on the liver surface.
• To assess the outcomes of LEIT in patients where PEIT is not a viable option.

Main Methods:

• Nine patients with superficial HCC underwent LEIT.
• Ethanol injection was performed under direct laparoscopic visualization.
• Tumor size, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, and complications were monitored post-procedure.

Main Results:

• LEIT was successfully performed on liver surface HCCs visualized laparoscopically.
• A decrease in tumor size and AFP levels was observed in most patients.
• Transient complications included abdominal pain and portal vein damage in three cases; no severe complications occurred.

Conclusions:

• LEIT is a safe and effective therapeutic option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) situated on the liver surface.
• LEIT necessitates combination with other therapies, such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) or PEIT, to achieve complete tumor necrosis.
• Laparoscopic visualization enables precise ethanol delivery for superficial liver tumors.