Hepatic Malignancies: Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation during Percutaneous Portal or Hepatic Vein Occlusion

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the technical feasibility, effectiveness, and complications of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation for hepatic malignancies during temporary percutaneous balloon occlusion (PBO) of a large hepatic or portal vein. Materials and Methods: During a 4-year period, RF ablation was performed in 201 patients (106 men, 95 women; age range, 41–88 years) with 233 liver tumors. Institutional review board approval was obtained to attempt RF ablation during PBO for 18 tumors that were larger than 35 mm (mean, 43 mm ± 7.6 [standard deviation]; range, 36–60 mm) and did not abut a portal or hepatic vein 4 mm in diameter or larger (group 1), 58 tumors 35 mm or smaller (mean, 23 mm ± 7.3; range, 12–35 mm) that abutted a large vessel (group 2), and 20 tumors that were both larger than 35 mm (mean, 42 mm ± 5.7; range, 38–50 mm) and abutted a large vessel (group 3). RF ablation without PBO was performed for 137 tumors 35 mm or smaller (mean, 22 mm ± 6.8; range, 9–35 mm) and remote from ...