A comparison of percutaneous vs surgical microwave ablation for liver tumours

Abstract

Background: Microwave ablation (MWA) is an effective method for the treatment of small primary and secondary liver tumors. Studies have examined the efficacy of both percutaneous (IR) and surgical ablation; however, there is scant data directly comparing these within a single study. Additionally, outcome variation in different tumors within these groups is not well studied. This study primarily looks to identify the oncologic outcomes of liver tumors treated by IR or surgical MWA and if there are factors contributing to poorer outcomes including the type of tumor.