[Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for the treatment of postoperative recurrent primary liver cancer]

This article reported 109 cases of postoperative recurrent primary liver cancer, treated with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) under the guidance of conventional ultrasonic transducer, the total number of injection being 637 times. No metastasis through the needle track or other serious complications were encountered. The 1.3 and 5 year survival rates were 92.6%, 47.8%, and 19%, respectively. We noted that the key factor affecting the efficacy of treatment was the accurate localization of puncture, rather than the times of injection or the quantity of ethanol injected. Criteria for the judgement of treatment and precautions to be noted concerning the procedure were suggested. It is concluded that PEIT is the treatment of choice in the management of non-operable, single, and comparativly smalle focus of postoperative recurrent primary liver cancer.