©The Author(s) 2017. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Laser ablation of liver tumors: An ancillary technique, or an alternative to radiofrequency and microwave?
Sergio Sartori, Francesca Di Vece, Francesca Ermili, Paola Tombesi, Section of Interventional Ultrasound, St Anna Hospital, 44100 Ferrara, Italy
Author contributions: Sartori S, Di Vece F, Ermili F and Tombesi P contributed equally to this paper with conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting and critical revision and editing, and final approval of the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Correspondence to: Sergio Sartori, MD, Section of Interventional Ultrasound, St Anna Hospital, via A. Moro 8, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. srs@unife.it
Telephone: +39-0532-239480 Fax: +39-0532-239613
Received: July 31, 2016
Peer-review started: August 2, 2016
First decision: September 28, 2016
Revised: December 23, 2016
Accepted: January 11, 2017
Article in press: January 14, 2017
Published online: March 28, 2017
Processing time: 235 Days and 20.1 Hours
Peer-review started: August 2, 2016
First decision: September 28, 2016
Revised: December 23, 2016
Accepted: January 11, 2017
Article in press: January 14, 2017
Published online: March 28, 2017
Processing time: 235 Days and 20.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, and laser thermal ablation, when performed by skilled operators, can successfully treat all liver tumors eligible for thermal ablation. However, each of them has peculiar advantages and limitations that can make one technique more suitable than the other ones to treat patients and tumors with different characteristics. When all the three techniques are available, the choice should be guided by their advantages and disadvantages, number, size and location of the liver nodules, and cost-saving considerations, in order to give patients the best treatment option.