Comparison of percutaneous and surgical approaches for radiofrequency ablation of small and medium hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Hypothesis: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be performed by percutaneous or surgical approach. Tumor size is an important consideration while deciding the treatment approach. Design: Case series with prospective data collection. Setting: A tertiary referral center. Patients: A total of 228 patients who underwent RFA of small (≤3 cm; n=155) and medium (3.1-5 cm; n=73) HCC by percutaneous or surgical approach. Main Outcome Measures: Complete ablation rate, post-RFA complications, treatment-related mortality, and overall and disease-free survival. Results: In patients with small HCC, the complete ablation rate was 95% with both approaches (P>.99). Complication rate (P