Ethanol ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma Up to 5.0 cm by using a multipronged injection needle with high-dose strategy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether ethanol ablation by using a multipronged needle delivery system (multipronged ethanol ablation) could eradicate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) up to 5.0 cm in diameter with a single-session high-dose strategy.


METHODS
The hospital ethics committee approved the prospective study, and each patient provided written informed consent. One hundred forty-one patients (125 men, 16 women; mean age, 53 years; range, 27-76 years) with 164 primary or recurrent HCC ranging from 1.3 to 5.0 cm in diameter (mean, 2.9 cm +/- 0.9) were treated with high-dose multipronged ethanol ablation. Patients were unsuitable for surgery, declined surgery and radiofrequency ablation, or had tumors located at unfavorable sites. Primary technique effectiveness (PTE) (complete ablation within two sessions), local tumor progression (LTP), and complications after the treatment were observed. Twenty risk factors of local effectiveness and complications were analyzed by means of univariate and multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Mean number of treatment sessions was 1.1. The mean volume of ethanol per tumor was 31 mL (range, 8-68 mL). PTE was achieved in 134 (95%) of 141 patients and was significantly associated with tumor pattern (capsulated vs noncapsulated, P = .018). After a mean follow-up period of 25 months, LTP was observed in 16 (12%) of 134 patients, and in nine (56%) patients, LTP occurred in tumors 3.1-5.0 cm in diameter. Alanine aminotransferase level (P = .023) was the independent risk factor for LTP. Three (2%) of 141 patients had major complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Multipronged ethanol ablation with a high-dose strategy can be used to treat HCC up to 5.0 cm in diameter effectively and safely, often in a single session.
Kuang
Ming
M
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, People's Republic of China.
Lu
Ming-De
MD
Xie
Xiao-Yan
XY
Xu
Hui-Xiong
HX
Xu
Zuo-Feng
ZF
Liu
Guang-Jian
GJ
Yin
Xiao-Yu
XY
Huang
Jie-Fu
JF
Lencioni
Riccardo
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003287:Contrast Media; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
D003287:Contrast Media; D000431:Ethanol