CT-guided percutaneous cryoablation of liver tumors adjacent to the pericardium:a case series studyOA

Background:Local treatments(including cryoablation)for liver tumors adjacent to the pericardium carry relatively high risks,and the safety,efficacy,and risk-benefit ratio of cryoablation specifically for tumors at this location all lack sufficient clinical validation.Methods:A retrospective case series was conducted involving 41 patients(20 males and 21 females)with a total of 45 liver tumors who underwent percutaneous CT-guided cryoablation between July 1,2021,and March 31,2025.The median age of the patients was 61 years(range:30-81 years).Tumor diameters were classified as≤10 mm(n=9),>10 to≤30 mm(n=25),and>30 to≤50 mm(n=11).All lesions were located within 10 mm of the pericardium.The technical success rate,local progression-free survival(LPFS),procedure-related adverse events,and risk-benefit analysis of this treatment were evaluated.Results:The technical success rate was 100%(45/45).The LPFS rates at 3,6,12,and 24 months were 95.56%,92.83%,77.12%,and 67.48%,respectively.No procedure-related mortality or major complications were observed.A total of 11(26.8%,11/41)minor complications requiring medical intervention were observed,including pneumothorax(n=2,5.3%),infection(n=2,5.3%),persistent vomiting(n=2,5.3%),postoperative fever(n=3,7.9%),and transient hepatic dysfunction(n=2,5.3%).The mean intraoperative visual analog scale pain score was 2.8±0.9.The average procedural duration was 60.8±14.1 min,with a mean cumulative dose length product of 3,058.9±1,725.4 mGy·cm.Conclusion:Preliminary research data suggest that CT-guided percutaneous cryoablation is technically feasible and demonstrates an acceptable safety profile for the treatment of liver tumors adjacent to the pericardium when the minimum distance exceeds 10 mm.