Objective: To evaluate, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or colorectal carcinoma disseminated to the liver, treatment with interstitial laser coagulation (ILC) during temporary occlusion of vascular inflow in the liver: feasibility, complications and initial tumour response.
Design: Prospective, descriptive.
Methods: Patients were included if their tumours were surgically irresectable and smaller than 4 cm in diameter and did not exceed a number of 3. ILC was performed under general anaesthesia, basically via a percutaneous approach. Vascular inflow was occluded during laser treatment. Twenty-four hours after ILC a triphasic spiral CT was performed to assess the result of the treatment.
Results: In 10 patients 14 hepatic tumours were lasered in 12 treatment sessions (10 percutaneous and 2 at laparotomy). After 5 treatment sessions, complications were observed of which pain at the insertion site of the catheters was the most frequent. For 6 out of the 10 patients with percutaneous procedures, discharge was within 24 hours after ILC. Nine out of the 14 tumours (65%) were completely coagulated.
Conclusion: ILC with vascular inflow occlusion is a safe and feasible technique that can be performed during a short hospital stay. Initial tumour response is 65% and these results justify determination of duration of response in a larger group of patients.