[Treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus of hepatocellular carcinoma with percutaneous laser ablation].

Objective: To introduce a newly developed procedure in the control of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and evaluate the efficacy and indicate of this method.

Methods: The PVTT of HCC patients were treated by percutaneous transhepatic laser ablation (LA). The blood flow of PVTT embolized portal vein, live function, ascites and clinical presentation was observed.

Results: Twenty-four HCC patients, with a total of 30 PVTT portal vein and its main branch were treated with LA. There were no any blood flow signal in Doppler color Ultrasonography in these PVTT embolized portal vein before treatment. After treatment, blood flow was reappearance in all cases within one week. The continued patency blood flow was observed in 16 portal vein and continued but not patency blood flow in other 12 portal vein within 30 days. The continued patency blood flow was observed in 18 portal vein within 90 days. The improvement of liver function and clinical symptom. The reduction of ascites was observed in varying degrees.

Conclusion: LA treatment might be a effective and safe procedure in the control of portal vein tumor thrombus of HCC.