PLoS ONE (Jan 2015)

Irreversible Electroporation of Malignant Hepatic Tumors--Alterations in Venous Structures at Subacute Follow-Up and Evolution at Mid-Term Follow-Up.

  • Marco Dollinger,
  • René Müller-Wille,
  • Florian Zeman,
  • Michael Haimerl,
  • Christoph Niessen,
  • Lukas P Beyer,
  • Sven A Lang,
  • Andreas Teufel,
  • Christian Stroszczynski,
  • Philipp Wiggermann

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135773
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 8
p. e0135773

Abstract

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To evaluate risk factors associated with alterations in venous structures adjacent to an ablation zone after percutaneous irreversible electroporation (IRE) of hepatic malignancies at subacute follow-up (1 to 3 days after IRE) and to describe evolution of these alterations at mid-term follow-up.43 patients (men/women, 32/11; mean age, 60.3 years) were identified in whom venous structures were located within a perimeter of 1.0 cm of the ablation zone at subacute follow-up after IRE of 84 hepatic lesions (primary/secondary hepatic tumors, 31/53). These vessels were retrospectively evaluated by means of pre-interventional and post-interventional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography or both. Any vascular changes in flow, patency, and diameter were documented. Correlations between vascular change (yes/no) and characteristics of patients, lesions, and ablation procedures were assessed by generalized linear models.191 venous structures were located within a perimeter of 1.0 cm of the ablation zone: 55 (29%) were encased by the ablation zone, 78 (41%) abutted the ablation zone, and 58 (30%) were located between 0.1 and 1.0 cm from the border of the ablation zone. At subacute follow-up, vascular changes were found in 19 of the 191 vessels (9.9%), with partial portal vein thrombosis in 2, complete portal vein thrombosis in 3, and lumen narrowing in 14 of 19. At follow-up of patients with subacute vessel alterations (mean, 5.7 months; range, 0 to 14 months) thrombosis had resolved in 2 of 5 cases; vessel narrowing had completely resolved in 8 of 14 cases, and partly resolved in 1 of 14 cases. The encasement of a vessel by ablation zone (OR = 6.36, p<0.001), ablation zone being adjacent to a portal vein (OR = 8.94, p<0.001), and the usage of more than 3 IRE probes (OR = 3.60, p = 0.035) were independently associated with post-IRE vessel alterations.Venous structures located in close proximity to an IRE ablation zone remain largely unaffected by this procedure, and thrombosis is rare.