Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of spleen together with splenic artery balloon block for the treatment of hypersplenism:observation of clinical effect / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical effect and to summarize the experience of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of spleen together with splenic artery balloon block in treating hypersplenism due to cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Methods Under the situation of splenic artery occlusion with balloon, RFA of the spleen was performed in 15 patients with hypersplenism caused by cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The mean duration of RFA was (46.4±5.4) min. Routine blood tests were conducted at 3 days, one week, one, 3 and 6 months after the treatment, and abdominal CT angiography was performed one month after RFA. The results were analyzed. Results One patient developed massive bloody pleural effusion at left thorax three days after RFA, which was improved after hemostasis and thoracic drainage. No severe complications occurred in other patients. Abdominal CT angiography performed one month after RFA showed that the ablated extent by RFA was accounted for about 34.3%-71.8% proportion of the spleen, with a mean of (56.20 ±13.09)%. Preoperative blood tests indicated that the count of white blood cells, red blood corpuscles and blood platelets was (3.88±1.75)×109/L, (4.06±0.37) × 1012/L and (48.14± 11.33)×109/L, respectively. One month after RFA the count of white blood cells and blood platelets increased to (5.62±1.61) ×109/L and (132.29±33.20) ×109/L respectively. When compared with the preoperative data, the differences in the count of white blood cells and blood platelets were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion For the treatment of hypersplenism due to cirrhosis and portal hypertension, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of spleen together with splenic artery balloon block is quite safe and this technique has satisfactory short-term effect.