Percutaneous Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) of Hepatic Malignancy: A Bi-institutional Analysis of Safety and Outcomes.

AIM: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal ablative option in patients unsuitable for standard thermal ablation, due to its potential to preserve collagenous structures (vessels and ducts) and a reduced susceptibility to heat sink effects. In this series from two large tertiary referral hepatobiliary centres, we aim to assess the safety/outcomes of hepatic IRE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bi-institutional retrospective, longitudinal follow-up series of IRE for primary hepatic malignancy; [hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 20), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 3)] and secondary metastatic disease; colorectal (n = 28), neuroendocrine (n = 1), pancreatic (n = 1), breast (n = 1), gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST, n = 1) and malignant thymoma (n = 1). Outcome measures included procedural safety/effectiveness, time to progression and time to death. RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2017, 52 patients underwent percutaneous IRE of 59 liver tumours in 53 sessions. All tumours were deemed unsuitable for thermal ablation. Cases were performed using ultrasound (US) or computed tomography (CT) guidance. A complete ablation was achieved in n = 44, (75%) of cases with an overall complication rate of 17% (n = 9). Of the complete ablation group, median time to progression was 8 months. At 12 months, 44% were progression-free (95% CI 30-66%). The data suggest that larger lesion size (> 2 cm) is associated with shorter time to progression and there is highly significant difference with faster time to progression in mCRC compared with HCC. Median survival time was 38 months. CONCLUSION: This bi-institutional review is the largest UK series of IRE and suggests this ablative technology can be a useful tool, but appears to mainly induce local tumour control rather than cure with HCC having better outcomes than mCRC.

An unusual presentation of an epidermoid brain tumour: a tale of two specialties.

A 33-year-old right-handed lady was referred to the psychiatry and neurology services by her general practitioner. Previously, she was under psychiatric care for bipolar affective disorder. Recently, her mood had deteriorated prompting the re-referral to the psychiatrists. In addition she had strange attacks. These strange attacks seemed to her like 'sensory overload' or that the 'brain just stops'. Other sensations throughout the attacks included feeling like she is in a 'fish bowl' and surrounding sights and sounds were distorted. She could not speak. After the attack she was hot and flustered, suffered memory loss and was tearful. Both the psychiatrist and the neurologist considered the possibility of these attacks being psychiatric in aetiology. However, the alternative possibility of a coexistence to epilepsy and depression was investigated and MRI demonstrated an epidermoid tumour with the supratentorial portion displacing the left temporal lobe.