For patients with extensive bilobar colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), initial surgery may not be feasible and a multimodal approach including microwave ablation (MWA) provides the only chance for prolonged survival. Intraoperative navigation systems may improve the accuracy of ablation and surgical resection of so-called "vanishing lesions", ultimately improving patient outcome. Clinical application of intraoperative navigated liver surgery is illustrated in a patient undergoing combined resection/MWA for multiple, synchronous, bilobar CRLM. Regular follow-up with computed tomography (CT) allowed for temporal development of the ablation zones. Of the ten lesions detected in a preoperative CT scan, the largest lesion was resected and the others were ablated using an intraoperative navigation system. Twelve months post-surgery a new lesion (Seg IVa) was detected and treated by trans-arterial embolization. Nineteen months post-surgery new liver and lung metastases were detected and a palliative chemotherapy started. The patient passed away four years after initial diagnosis. For patients with extensive CRLM not treatable by standard surgery, navigated MWA/resection may provide excellent tumor control, improving longer-term survival. Intraoperative navigation systems provide precise, real-time information to the surgeon, aiding the decision-making process and substantially improving the accuracy of both ablation and resection. Regular follow-ups including 3D modeling allow for early discrimination between ablation zones and recurrent tumor lesions.
Keywords: Colorectal liver metastases; Computer navigation; Image-guidance; Microwave ablation; Tumor.