Efficacy, safety and feasibility of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for large hepatic hemangioma.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and feasibility of microwave ablation (MWA) for large (5-10 cm in diameter) hepatic hemangioma.

METHODS

In all, 46 patients with 47 large hepatic hemangiomas were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous MWA. The effect of MWA for all patients was evaluated by enhanced magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography within two months after ablation.

RESULTS

A total of 27 male and 19 female patients were enrolled, with an average age of 46 ± 11 years. The average size of hemangiomas was 6.3 ± 1.4 cm (range 5.0-9.6 cm). The initial complete ablation rate was 91.5% (43/47) and the volume of ablated lesions was significantly reduced. The rate of complete necrosis was not associated with the tumor size or location (P = 0.899 and 0.758, respectively). The total complete ablation rate was 95.7% (45/47). Major complications included acute renal dysfunction, hyperbilirubinemia and pleural effusion. No procedure-related death occurred. The average hospitalization stay was 5.7 ± 2.5 days (range 3-17 days). During a follow-up period of 18.2 months (range 4-40 months), one patient developed local tumor progression at the radiofrequency ablation site. Three patients had new hemangiomas in other sites of the liver. At the end of the study all patients were alive and no severe complications occurred.

CONCLUSION

Image-guided MWA is an effective and safe treatment for large hepatic hemangiomas, and can potentially be regarded as the first-line therapy.