Safety and Efficacy Analysis of Percutaneous Microwave Ablation for Liver Malignant Tumors Adjacent to the Heart

Abstract

Background: Malignant tumors in the liver located near the heart present a significant challenge. Achieving complete tumor ablation while avoiding severe complications is difficult. Additionally, there is a scarcity of research in this area. Objectives: To explore and study the surgical efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for liver malignant tumors adjacent to the heart. Patients and Methods: A total of 45 patients with liver malignant tumors who underwent MWA treatment from July 2016 to June 2020 were included. They were divided into two groups based on the distance between the lesion and the heart: The near-heart group (≤ 2 cm, 21 cases) and the far-heart group (> 2 cm, 24 cases). Both groups underwent MWA treatment without water isolation or other thermal protection techniques. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the local tumor progression-free rate, progression-free survival rate, and overall survival rate. Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the influence of multiple research factors on the overall survival rate. The total follow-up period was 3 years, with the endpoint event being death. Results: There was no statistical difference in baseline data between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in the tumor complete ablation rate, local tumor progression-free rate (χ2 = 0.339, P = 0.560), progression-free survival rate (χ2 = 0.069, P = 0.793), and overall survival rate (χ2 = 0.090, P = 0.764). The serious complications in both groups were subcapsular hemorrhage, and both improved after hemostasis treatment. The incidence of serious complications in both groups was not statistically different (χ2 = 0.009, P = 0.923). Conclusion: The CT-guided MWA demonstrates certain signs of effectiveness and safety in the treatment of liver tumors close to the heart. The MWA should be considered as an option for treating such tumors.