The safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for treating large hepatic hemangiomas

Abstract

Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of large (≥5 cm in diameter) hepatic hemangiomas.Methods Clinical data of 50 patients with large hepatic hemangiomas (≥5 cm in diameter) treated with RFA between October 2007 and December 2012 were analyzed.Patients were divided into two groups (5-10 cm and ≥ 10 cm) according to tumor size.Results Thirty-two patients had 36 hemangiomas of 5-10 cm in diameter and 18 patients had 19 hemangiomas of ≥ 10 cm in diameter.Technical success,complications related to RFA,completed ablation,symptom relief,change in size of ablation zone and recurrence of the residual tumor were analyzed.The average diameters of the two groups were 7.1 ± 1.2 cm and 13.2-± 2.4 cm separately (t =-12.57,P ＜ 0.01) ; the technical achievement ratios of the two groups were both 100％ ; Seven of 32 patients with hemangiomas 5-10 cm and all the 18 patients with hemangiomas ≥ 10 cm had 13 and 61 complications related to RFA,the incidence of complications were 21.88％ and 100％ respectively (x2 =28.13,P ＜ 0.01); 94.55％ hemangiomas (52/55) acquired complete ablation,the complete ablation rates of 5-10 cm hemangiomas and ≥10 cm hemangiomas were 100％ (36/36) and 84.21％ (16/19) respectively (P =0.014).The mean diameters of ablation zone were respectively decreased to 5.3 ± 1.0 cm and 10.62±1.8 cm (t =-14.30,P ＜0.01).Conclusions RFA for hepatic hemangiomas 5-10 cm in diameter is safe and effective; while its complication for ablation of hemangiomas ≥ 10 cm is high. Key words: Hemangioma; Pulsed radiofrequency treatment ; Liver