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

Abstract

To evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous hot saline injection therapy (PSIT) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 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. 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. 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.