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. 2022 Sep 15:9:1010043.
doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.1010043. eCollection 2022.

The frequency and risk factors of major complications after thermal ablation of liver tumours in 2,084 ablation sessions

Qiannan Huang  1 , Mengya Pang  2 , Qingjing Zeng  1 , Xuqi He  1 , Rongqin Zheng  1 , Mian Ge  2 , Kai Li  1
Affiliations

The frequency and risk factors of major complications after thermal ablation of liver tumours in 2,084 ablation sessions

Qiannan Huang et al. Front Surg. .

Abstract

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 2,084 thermal ablation sessions in 1,592 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% (2/2,084), with an overall major complication rate of 5.6% (117/2,084). The most frequent major complication was symptomatic pleural effusion (2.9%, 60/2,084). 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.

Keywords: liver tumours; major complications; risk factors; thermal ablation; ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of thermal ablation selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Multivariate logistic regression analyses of risk factors for major complications. *Statistically significant.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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