title: Radiofrequency ablation assisted resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: morbidity, mortality and long term survival.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatic resection is the mainstay of the curative treatment of primary hepatic tumors, with constantly improving short and long term results. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)-assisted liver resection is a relatively new method of transection of the liver parenchyma with favorable intra- and perioperative results. The aim of this study was to investigate the oncological efficacy (long term overall survival/OS and disease free survival/DFS) and to confirm the favorable short term morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2004 and January 2007, 28 patients underwent 32 resections with removal of 50 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions. The technique of parenchymal transection has been described previously as RFA-assisted liver resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-day morbidity and mortality were 42.8 and 0%, respectively. Blood transfusion was necessary for 28.5% of the patients. The median hospital stay was 16.5 days (range 5-34). The 1- and 3-year OS were 92.9 and 65.7%, respectively. The 1- and 3-year DFS were 62.3 and 54.6- respectively. No patient developed metastatic disease or local recurrence at the margin site. Twelve patients (42.9%) developed in-the-liver recurrence away from the resection area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA-assisted liver resection is a safe and oncologically efficacious method for the surgical treatment of HCC with results comparable to other surgical techniques.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, School of Medicine, King's College London , London, UK.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prassas
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kontos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neofytou
authors.forename: Emanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pikoulis
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diamantis
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Felekouras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging