Feasibility and safety study of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for Sub-cardiac liver cancers without artificial ascites assistance

• Published in: British journal of radiology 2024-11, Vol.97 (1163), p.1856-1862
• Main Authors: Liu, Qiqi, Liang, Shuang, Liu, Huahui, Luo, Liping, Wu, Shanshan, Guan, Sainan, Liu, Ying, Yan, Ronghua, Xu, Erjiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0007-1285; 1748-880X; 1748-880X
• DOI: 10.1093/bjr/tqae169

To investigate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound(US)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) without artificial ascites (AA) inpatients with sub-cardiac liver cancers. This retrospective study included patients with the left lobe and caudate lobe of the liver cancer who underwent US-guided MWA in our institute from January 2020 to December 2022. According to whether the target lesion was located ≤ 5 mm from the pericardium, patients were divided into the sub-cardiac (SC) group and the non-sub-cardiac (NSC) group. In the SC group, AA was not employed during the ablation procedure. The results of technical success, technical efficiency, local tumor progression (LTP), and major complications were recorded. A total of 79 patients with 87 lesions were enrolled. There were 38 patients with 38 lesions in the SC group and 41 patients with 49 lesions in the NSC group. The median follow-up of all patients was 15 (range, 3-44) months. There was no significant difference in technical success rates (100% versus 100%), technique efficiency rates (100% versus 95.7%), LTP rates (2.63% versus 0%,), and major complication rates (2.63% versus 7.32%) between the SC group and the NSC group (p > 0.05). No cardiac-related complications occurred. US-guided MWA without AA for sub-cardiac liver cancers was safe and effective. The clinical prognosis of thermal ablation without artificial ascites in the treatment of sub-cardiac liver cancers is still unclear. The finding of this study provided evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation without artificial ascites for treating this tricky location.