Combined microwave thermal ablation and liver resection for single step treatment of otherwise unresectable colorectal liver metastases; a monoistitutional experiences

A. Tropea, A. Biondi, A. Corsaro, M. Donati, F. Basile, S. Gruttadauria

Department of General Surgery, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. alessandrotropea@aol.com

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• Surgery

OBJECTIVE: Over half of colorectal cancer patients will develop liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Thermal ablation with or without associated liver resection for colorectal hepatic metastasis has been suggested as an alternative method to improve survival if radical surgical resection is not achievable. A retrospective case series of patients treated with microwave ablation(MWA) associated with hepatic resection in one step procedure, was reviewed to analyze the clinical outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a group of 40 patients surgically cured for liver tumors in our Department, 5 patients with technically unresectable disease underwent combined treatment LR-MWA.
Results: Four patients were treated with multiple segmentectomies and MWA and one patient received a left lobectomy (S2-S3) and MWA. Only 1 patient (20%) developed post surgical complication which was a liver abscess (grade II of Dindo classification).

CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic resection combined with MWA expanded indications for operative treatment of multiple bilobar liver metastasis. This procedure promise to have good long-term outcomes.

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