J Gastroenterol Hepatol Endosc | Volume 2, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access
Toru Ishikawa*, Michitaka Imai, Masayoshi Ko, Hiroki Sato, Yujiro Nozawa, Tomoe Sano, Akito Iwanaga, Keiichi Seki, Terasu Honma and Toshiaki Yoshida
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Niigata Daini Hospital, Niigata, Japan
*Correspondance to: Toru Ishikawa
Fulltext PDFBackground/Aims: Local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) remains an important limitation. However, predictors for local recurrence by therapeutic procedures with RFA have not been investigated sufficiently. In current study, we evaluated factors associated with local recurrence after RFA using Cool-tip RF system with a single needle electrode.
Methods: Between January 2010 and April 2013, RFA was performed in 89 hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma nodules ≤ 20 mm in diameter using Cool-tip RF system. Factors associated with local recurrence were analyzed for nodules with sufficient ablative margin after RFA. Treatment associated factors evaluated included RFA maximum output, final temperature, frequency of breaks, and total amount of energy used; background factors included alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), desgamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), total bilirubin, albumin and prothrombin activity (PT) levels.
Results: Univariate analysis showed that RFA maximum output and total amount of energy as treatment-associated factors and DCP levels as a background factor were associated with local recurrence. Multivariate analysis revealed that only total amount of energy was the significantly correlated with local recurrence.
Conclusion: This study indicates that RFA using Cool-tip RF system may decrease local recurrence in hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 20 mm by achieving total amount of energy.
Radiofrequency ablation; Local recurrence; Total amount of energy
Ishikawa T, Imai M, Ko M, Sato H, Nozawa Y, Sano T, et al. Total Amount of Energy by Radiofrequency Ablation may Predict Local Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Gastroenterol Hepatol Endosc. 2017;2(1):1006.