Table of Contents
How is a liver ablation performed?
During ablation therapy, heat is transmitted from a special machine through a needle-shaped probe placed into a liver tumor. With the guidance of an imaging technique, such as ultrasound or a CT scan, the doctor inserts the probe through the skin and into the liver and the tumor.
Are you awake during a liver ablation?
Sometimes, though, to be sure the treatment is aimed at the right place, the ablation may be done in the operating room under general anesthesia (you are asleep) and may need an incision (cut) like the one for a partial hepatectomy .
How do you shrink metastasis to the liver?
Treatments for liver metastasis include surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy, biologic drugs, radiation, or a procedure called ablation which destroys cancerous lesions….Ablation
- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
- Microwave ablation uses microwaves to create heat.
- Cryoablation uses cold gas to freeze cancer cells.
Is ablation of the liver painful?
The area where the needle or probe was put into your skin (the procedure site) may be sore for a day or two after the procedure, and you may have a bruise. You may have a dull pain in your belly or right shoulder for a couple of days. This is called referred pain.
What are the treatment options for colorectal cancer liver metastases?
Surgery is currently considered the treatment of choice for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) when resectable. The majority of these patients can also benefit from systemic chemotherapy. Recently, local or regional therapies such as thermal ablations have been used with acceptable outcomes.
What are the indications for thermal ablation of the liver?
Main indications for thermal ablation include (I) unresectable liver lesions; (II) in combination with hepatectomy; (III) in patients with significant medical comorbidities or poor performance status (PS); (IV) a small (<3 cm) solitary lesion, which would otherwise necessitate a major liver resection; and (V) patient preference.
What is the role of thermal ablation in the future?
The role of the thermal ablation will continue to evolve in patients with resectable and ablatable lesions owing to newly emerging technology, in addition to new systemic treatment options, including immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).
What are the different types of ablative therapy for cardiac ablation?
There are several approaches and modalities for ablative therapy, including open, percutaneous, and laparoscopic approaches, as well as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA).