title: Hepatectomy, combined with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation in patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the efficacy and safety of a hepatectomy, combined with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation to those of wider extent hepatectomy, alone, in patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2004 and December 2013, 78 patients with multiple HCCs underwent surgery. 25 patients were treated by hepatectomy, combined with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (group A), and 53 underwent hepatectomy only (group B). We retrospectively analyzed medical records to compare the clinical features of these two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in group A had more limited resections (less than 2 segments) than those in group B (p<0.001). Patients in group A also tended to have fewer red blood cell transfusions than those in group B (p=0.060). Liver function- and surgery-related complications occurred only in group B. There were no in-hospital mortalities in both groups. The overall survival and disease-free survival outcomes were not significantly different between groups A and B (p=0.177 and p=0.305, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatectomy combined with intraoperative RFA could be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with multiple HCCs, comparable to extended hepatectomy alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eung-Ho
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ryounggo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Sup
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Hepatectomy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Multinodular; Radiofrequency ablation