Severe complications after microwave ablation in 7 403 cases with liver cancer / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To identify the types,frequency and risk factors of major complications using microwave ablation (MWA) to treat liver malignancies in a single center.Methods Using the electronic medical record system,patients with liver cancer who were treated with MWA from January 2010 to November 2015 were retrospectively studied,and the risk factors of severe complications were analyzed.Results Of the 7 403 patients who were treated with MWA (12 558 ablations).96 cases experienced severe complications (1.3％) and 5 patients died (0.07％).The complications included liver abscess (n ＝ 34,0.46％),pleural effusion (n ＝ 20,0.27％),bile duct injury (n ＝ 15,0.20％),hemorrhage (n ＝ 6,0.08％),liver failure (n ＝ 6,0.08％),extrahepa-tic organ injuries (n ＝ 5,0.07％),cancerous cells implantation of abdominal walls (n ＝ 2),cardiac arrest (n ＝ 1),vascular thrombosis (n ＝ 1),renal insufficiency (n ＝ 1),and patients with other associated diseases which developed after the MWA therapy (n ＝2).Metastatic liver cancer and earlier treatment of MWA sessions were associated with a higher major complication rate (P ＜ 0.05).Conclnsions MWA is a well-tolerated local treatment for liver cancer,with an acceptably low incidence of severe complications.Liver abscess was the most common postoperative severe complication.The surgeons＇ experience and tumor type were associated with the incidence of severe complications,however,not relavant with the frequency of preoperative ablations.Appropriate measures can be taken to effectively reduce the risk of serious complications.