Symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangiomas are effectively treated by percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation for the management of symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangiomas.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients (5 male and 19 female, with mean age of 49.5±2.2) with 25 hemangiomas over 4 cm underwent percutaneous RFA due to either the presence of symptoms or the enlargement of hemangioma compared with previous imaging studies.


RESULTS
The mean diameter of hemangioma was 7.2±0.7 cm (4.0-15.0 cm) with 16 hemangiomas in right and 9 hemangiomas in left lobe. Twenty-three hemangiomas (92.0%) were successfully treated by radiofrequency ablation. The mean diameter of hemangiomas was decreased to 4.5±2.4 cm (p<0.001) in serial follow-up CT scans over mean period of 23±3.8 months (23-114 months). Symptoms related to hemangioma disappeared without enlargement of hemangiomas in all successfully treated patients. There were 14 adverse events in 10 patients including abdominal pain, indirect hyperbilirubinemia (>3.0 mg/dl), fever (38.3°C), anemia (<10 g/dl), and ascites, which were successfully managed by conservative treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation is an effective, minimally invasive, and safe procedure for the management of symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangioma.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Liver Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Soo Young
SY
Park
Won Young
WY
Tak
Min Kyu
MK
Jung
Seong Woo
SW
Jeon
Chang Min
CM
Cho
Young Oh
YO
Kweon
Kab Chul
KC
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078702:Radiofrequency Therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods