Percutaneous hot saline injection therapy for hepatic tumors: an alternative to percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous hot saline injection therapy (PSIT) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with HCC (23 nodules) underwent PSIT. Mean tumor diameter was < or = 30 mm. PSIT was performed by injecting hot saline into the HCC. The therapeutic effect of PSIT was evaluated with computed tomography, angiography, measurement of alpha-fetoprotein levels, and histopathologic examination of needle biopsy and resected specimens. RESULTS: No complications were encountered, and a therapeutic effect was obtained in all cases. When the injected material cools, it becomes physiologic saline making it possible to inject relatively large volumes in a single session. CONCLUSION: PSIT has promise as a form of curative local therapy for small HCCs and is expected to exert a safe and favorable therapeutic effect on large HCCs as well.