Historical changes of hospitalization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma considering for clinical path preparation.
We examined the hospitalization time in 346 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated between January 1991 and March 2002 (486 admissions). A newly introduced IVR CT system and an advanced catheter shortened the mean time from 65.0 (1991) to 35.6 (2001) days in patients who underwent transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). For patients having TAE combined with percutaneous ethanol infusion (PEI), the mean time was shortened from 156.5 to 48.7 days. In those who underwent PEI, the values were 56.0 and 36.8 days, respectively. In those who underwent radio frequency ablation (RFA), the mean time in 2001 was 25.3 days. Overall, the mean time was shortened from 60.5 to 38.0 days. In particular, the mean time (41.0 days) after 1999, when the IVR CT system and RFA were introduced, was significantly shorter than that before their introduction (58.9 days). Advances in instruments and procedures for TAE have greatly shortened the hospitalization period. In patients who underwent PEI, the rate of decrease in the mean time was small and it is difficult decrease their length of hospital stay; therefore, RFA may be frequently employed in the future.
Shinomiya
Hirohiko
H
Department of Digestive and Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
Shibata
Hiroshi
H
Tamaki
Katuyoshi
K
Fukuno
Hiroshi
H
Tsutsui
Akemi
A
Shimizu
Ichiro
I
Ito
Susumu
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D019091:Critical Pathways; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000431:Ethanol