A breakthrough in cryosurgery

Liver cryosurgery is one of the treatment options for unresectable liver metastases. Indications for the use of this treatment instead of classic surgery are bilobar disease, location of the tumor at an irresectable anatomic site, and comorbid conditions of the patient. Possible complications of cryosurgery are hemorrhage, coagulopathy, pneumonia, pleural effusion, abdominal abscess, and bile fistula. We describe a patient in whom a hepatobronchial fistula developed after cryosurgery. The patient had cryosurgery because of an unresectable liver metastasis in a Dukes' C rectal carcinoma. More details are given in the case report. To our knowledge, a hepatobronchial fistula as a complication of cryosurgery has never been reported. It therefore should be added to the list of possible cryosurgery complications.