Cryosurgery for Isolated Liver Tumors or Associated with Complex Liver Resection: A Series of 38 Patients
L. P. Mosoia, Th. Artenie, R. Petrescu, M. Bogdan, I. CâmpeanuOriginal article, no. 6, 2013
Background: The aim of this prospective study is to assess theoutcomes of cryosurgery for liver tumors, as a singletreatment or associated to liver resections in conjunction ornot with other visceral resections.Material and Methods: Between 2001 and 2011, in our institution,70 hepatic tumors have been treated through cryosurgeryin 38 patients. Complications and survival were assessed,according to different types of hepatic tumors and treatmentcomplexity.Results: Operative mortality within 1 month was 2.6% relatedto cryosurgery. The median follow up was 25.8 months (rangefrom 0-41.85 months). The number of complications wasassociated to complex treatment. The morbidity, mortality,disease-free and overall survival rates were not statisticallysignificantly different between the different types of tumors (pvalue 0.05). The median disease free survival was 9.5months, with cryosite recurrent disease in 21.5% patients, and28.9% recurrences in other liver sites.Conclusion: Cryotherapy, single or associated with liver resectionscombined or not with other visceral resections is aneffective procedure. The antitumoral effects of treatment weredemonstrated, but complications and high local recurrencerate, especially in patients with extensive disease, shouldcaution against its use.
