Laparoscopic microwave coagulation therapy under the hepatic blood flow occlusion for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

A 65-year-old man was diagnosed as having hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver cirrohosis classified clinical stage, which caused by hepatitis C virus. Abdominal contrast CT showed HCC in the diameter of 2 cm located Segment 4. Laparoscopic microwave coagulation therapy under hepatic blood flow occlusion using clamp was performed. We applied the coagulation time for 10 minutes with an output of 80 watts for 60 seconds at a time. After 2 months the hepatic tumor was completely enclosed within the coagulation area and no recurrence was showed for 14 months after procedure. We have reported that the coagulation areas with the hepatic blood flow occlusion was about twice as big as that without blocking the hepatic blood flow. This suggested that a 3 cm hepatic tumor can be controled by this method. We proposed that laparoscopic microwave coagulation therapy under hepatic blood flow occlusion should be selected for HCC of small size or middle-size hepatic tumor and high risk patients.