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Radio Frequency Ablation of Malignant Tumors
RFA is an exciting, recently developed technique used to treat liver cancer tumors. This treatment has been safe and well tolerated in the overwhelming majority of patients. RFA has allowed us to treat patients who previously would not have been candidates for surgical treatments due to the number of tumors, location of the tumors, problems with cirrhosis, or inability to remove the entire tumor while leaving enough normal liver tissue.
The surgeon uses an ultrasound to guide placement of a probe into the tumors that are going to be treated. Applying electrical current form a small device called a radio frequency current generator starts the treatment. The amount of power is precisely controlled and the electrical current causes friction. This friction, in turn, creates heat, and the heat kills the target tissue. There is a boundary between the affected and unaffected tissue. The probe is precise and only ablates the unwanted, cancerous tissue, while leaving the surrounding normal tissue.
RFA may also be performed during an abdominal surgery: using laparoscopic surgery or an open approach. The laparoscopic surgical approach uses an intraoperative ultrasound to visualize the targeted tissue. The open approach allows the physician to visualize the entire procedure.
RFA only destroys the tumors that can be detected with ultrasound, CT or MRI scans; new tumors may use chemotherapy treatments for up to six months after RFA in an attempt to reduce the risk of new tumors developing.
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