Background To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of artificial ascites to assist thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract in patients with previous abdominal surgery. Methods Thirty-nine patients with a total of 40 liver malignant tumors were enrolled between January 2016 and June 2019. All had histories of hepatectomy, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and intestinal surgery. The distance between the tumor and the gastrointestinal tract was < 5 mm. Normal saline was used as artificial ascites to protect the gastrointestinal tract during thermal ablation. The success rate of the procedure, incidence of major complications, and the technical efficacy of ablation were recorded. Patients were followed for local tumor progression (LTP), and overall survival (OS). Results The use of artificial ascites was successful in 38 of the 40 procedures (95%). Major complications occurred in two of the 39 patients (5.1%) following the procedure. One was an intestinal fistula that occurred in a failed case and was associated with an infection. The other was a liver abscess that occurred in a successful case. The technical efficacy of ablation was 100% (40/40 procedures). The median follow-up was 20 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year LTP rates were 2.9%, 5.7% and 5.7%. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 97.1%, 86.8% and 69.5%. Conclusion In patients with previous abdominal surgery, artificial ascites is feasible and effective for assisting thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.

BackgroundTo evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of artificial ascites to assist thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract in patients with previous abdominal surgery.MethodsThirty-nine patients with a total of 40 liver malignant tumors were enrolled between January 2016 and June 2019. All had histories of hepatectomy, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and intestinal surgery. The distance between the tumor and the gastrointestinal tract was < 5 mm. Normal saline was used as artificial ascites to protect the gastrointestinal tract during thermal ablation. The success rate of the procedure, incidence of major complications, and the technical efficacy of ablation were recorded. Patients were followed for local tumor progression (LTP), and overall survival (OS).ResultsThe use of artificial ascites was successful in 38 of the 40 procedures (95%). Major complications occurred in two of the 39 patients (5.1%) following the procedure. One was an intestinal fistula that occurred in a failed case and was associated with an infection. The other was a liver abscess that occurred in a successful case. The technical efficacy of ablation was 100% (40/40 procedures). The median follow-up was 20 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year LTP rates were 2.9%, 5.7% and 5.7%. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 97.1%, 86.8% and 69.5%.ConclusionIn patients with previous abdominal surgery, artificial ascites is feasible and effective for assisting thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.Co-first authors: Qiannan Huang #, Jianguo Li # contributed equally to this article and should be considered co-first authors.Co-corresponding authors: Xuqi He *, Kai Li * contributed equally to this article and should be considered co-corresponding authors.

We present a 60‐year‐old man suffering from delayed arterial hemorrhage post liver biopsy. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound was used to detect the bleeding point and to evaluate the efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA). The hemorrhage was controlled by MWA at the bedside. This is the first application of MWA for delayed hemorrhage.

Background To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of artificial ascites to assist thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract in patients with previous abdominal surgery. Methods Thirty-nine patients with a total of 40 liver malignant tumors were enrolled between January 2016 and June 2019. All had histories of hepatectomy, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and intestinal surgery. The distance between the tumor and the gastrointestinal tract was < 5 mm. Normal saline was used as artificial ascites to protect the gastrointestinal tract during thermal ablation. The success rate of the procedure, incidence of major complications, and the technical efficacy of ablation were recorded. Patients were followed for local tumor progression (LTP), and overall survival (OS). Results The use of artificial ascites was successful in 38 of the 40 procedures (95%). Major complications occurred in two of the 39 patients (5.1%) following the procedure. One was an intestinal fistula that occurred in a failed case and was associated with an infection. The other was a liver abscess that occurred in a successful case. The technical efficacy of ablation was 100% (40/40 procedures). The median follow-up was 16 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year LTP rates were 2.9%, 5.7% and 5.7%. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 97.1%, 86.8% and 69.5%. Conclusion In patients with previous abdominal surgery, artificial ascites is feasible and effective for assisting thermal ablation of liver cancer adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.

Background: To assess the frequency of major complications after thermal ablation of liver tumours and to determine risk factors for adverse events.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between January 2015 and January 2021. A total of 2084 thermal ablation sessions in 1592 patients with primary and metastatic liver tumours were evaluated. The frequency of major complications was evaluated according to the Society of Interventional Radiology Standards, and putative predictors of adverse events were analysed using simple and multivariate logistic regression.Results: Thermal ablation-related mortality was 0.1% (2/2084), with an overall major complication rate of 5.6% (117/2084). The most frequent major complication was symptomatic pleural effusion (51.3%, 60/117). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a total maximum diameter of lesions >3 cm, microwave ablation (MWA) and MWA combined with radiofrequency ablation, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome were independent prognostic factors for major complications. Conclusions: Thermal ablation of liver tumours is a safe procedure with an acceptable incidence of major complications. The risk factors identified in this study will help to stratify high-risk patients.