title: Impact of Radiofrequency Ablation-Induced Glisson's Capsule-Associated Complications in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is commonly used to locally treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, when tumors are close to the Glisson's capsule, RFA may induce injury in this region, complicating therapeutic efforts. We investigated the impact of RFA-induced Glisson's capsule-associated complications on liver function and prognosis of HCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed our patient database and found 170 early-stage HCC patients treated via RFA from April 2004 to December 2012. We defined RFA-induced Glisson's capsule-associated complication as lasting hepatic arterioportal (AP) fistula, major intrahepatic bile-duct dilatation (affecting two or more subsegments), or hepatic infarction. We also defined liver failure as initial occurrence of either total bilirubin increase (>3.0 mg/dL), uncontrolled ascites, or encephalopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our cohort, 15 patients had RFA-induced Glisson's capsule-associated complications (incidence of related complications, with some overlap: lasting AP fistula, n = 9; major intrahepatic bile-duct dilatation, n = 7; and hepatic infarction, n = 2). The cumulative incidence of liver failure before stage progression was significantly higher and the median overall survival (OS) was significantly lower (52.3 months) in HCC patients with Glisson's capsule-associated complications than in those without Glisson's capsule-associated complications (95.0 months). In addition, multivariate analysis demonstrated that Glisson's capsule-associated complication was a significant independent factor associated with OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we have shown that early-stage HCC patients with RFA-induced Glisson's capsule-associated complications may have higher risks in poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Sadahisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ooka
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tawada
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000293:injuries; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies