Intra-caval Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for a Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) Metastasis in Transplanted Liver

Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2018 Dec;41(12):1962-1967. doi: 10.1007/s00270-018-2032-y. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Abstract

Less than 1% of patients with liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are susceptible to liver transplantation. We report a case of a patient transplanted 13 years ago for NET metastases, with a lesion histologically proved for NET metastasis located at the cava vein anastomosis. He was treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after a first failed attempt of endovascular approach. The vascular heat sink, which RFA is susceptible to, was considered an advantage in this case, since it restricted the propagation of heat only to the tissue located in the very proximity of the RFA antenna, protecting the inferior vena cava vessel walls. This positive result may suggest an additional use of RFA in selected challenging cases.

Keywords: Intra-luminal metastasis; NET metastasis; Percutaneous RFA; Transplanted liver.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Liver / surgery
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / pathology*
  • Radiofrequency Ablation / methods*
  • Radiography, Interventional / methods*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Venae Cavae / diagnostic imaging*