Safety of local thermal ablation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with cirrhosis and severe thrombocytopenia

Abstract

Background: Generally, invasive treatment is contraindication for patients with severe thrombocytopenia, because it may increase risk of bleeding. However, many early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with cirrhosis have platelet counts (PC) less than 50×109/L due to hypersplenism. These patients are often accompanied by hepatic insufficiency, which makes hepatectomy impossible, and local thermal ablation (LTA) has become a major treatment. The aim of our study is to investigate the correlation between severe thrombocytopenia and bleeding after LTA in HCC patients with cirrhosis, and evaluate risk factors of bleeding. Methods: 473 patients with cirrhosis who underwent LTA for HCC from 2016 to 2020 were enrolled, and 709 ablations were performed in total. Based on preoperative PC, cases were divided into three groups, namely, group A (PC>50×109/L), group B (30×109/L<PC≤50×109/L) and group C (PC≤30×109/L). The incidence of bleeding after LTA was compared among the three groups. Logistic regression was used to explore the risk factors for bleeding after ablation. Results: The overall incidence of bleeding complications was 4.4%, and no significant difference was observed between group A, B, and C (3.9% vs. 6.4% vs. 3.3%, P=0.410). In multivariate analysis, tumor diameter (OR=2.657 per 1cm, P<0.001), and multiple lesions (≥3) (OR=3.723, P=0.006) were found to be independent predictors of bleeding after LTA. Conclusion: In small HCC patients with cirrhosis and hypersplenism, the PC range 30-50×109/L will not increase the risk of bleeding after LTA. Tumor diameter and number of lesions are independent predictors for bleeding after LTA in HCC patients.