Pulmonary Radiofrequency Ablation - An International Study Survey
- KARIN STEINKE1,
- PATRICK E. SEWELL2,
- DAMIEN DUPUY3,
- RICCARDO LENCIONI4,
- THOMAS HELMBERGER5,
- STEPHEN T. KEE6,
- AUGUSTINUS L. JACOB7,
- DEREK W. GLENN8,
- JULIE KING1 and
- DAVID L. MORRIS1
- 1Department of Surgery, UNSW, The St. George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- 2Department of Radiology and Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.A.
- 3Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.
- 4Department of Radiology, Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Pisa, Italy
- 5Department of Diagnostic Imaging, LMU Munich, Germany
- 6Department of Radiology, Stanford Medical Center, Stanford, California, U.S.A.
- 7Department of Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
- 8Department of Radiology, UNSW, The St. George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Correspondence to: David L. Morris, Professor of Surgery, St. George Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9350 2070, Fax: +61 2 9350 3997, e-mail: david.morris{at}unsw.edu.au
Abstract
Background: The lung is the most common site for primary cancer worldwide as well as being a common site of metastases for various malignancies. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is rapidly evolving as a new minimally invasive tool for the treatment of pulmonary tumors. Patients and Methods: A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to 14 centres around the world, which we knew or thought were performing percutaneous pulmonary RFA, to retrospectively survey their experience in this field including the number of ablations done to date, indications, method, peri- and postprocedural complications. Results: Seven centers reported 493 percutaneous procedures in lung tumors. Two deaths have been reported. Complications were subdivided into major and minor complications. Pneumothorax occurred in up to 30% of interventions with less than 10% requiring intercostal drainage. Pleural effusion requiring aspiration occurred in less than 10% of cases. Conclusion: With almost 500 procedures done to date, percutaneous pulmonary RFA appears to be a safe, minimally invasive tool for local pulmonary tumor control with negligible mortality, little morbidity, short hospital stay and gain in quality of life.
- Received June 10, 2003.
- Accepted December 19, 2003.
- Copyright© 2004 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved
