Computed tomography-guided percutaneous cryoablation and microwave ablation in the treatment of perivascular hepatocellular carcinoma: A comparative study with propensity score matching

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cryoablation (CYA) and microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of patients with perivascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with perivascular HCC who underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous CYA or MVA treatment in our hospital from August 2009 to March 2019 were included. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for potential baseline differences in the two groups. The technical success rate (TS), complications, and visual analog scale (VAS) were analyzed. The overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models. After PSM, 32 patients from each group were selected. The technical success rate was 94 % for CYA and 91 % for MWA, and 13 patients developed recurrence (CYA, n = 5, 2 local, 3 distant; MWA, n = 8, 6 local, 2 distant). There were no significant differences in OS (36-months OS: CYA 53.1 % vs, MWA 40.6 %; P = 0.191). No intraoperative deaths or complication-related deaths were observed, and 19 patients (CYA, n = 8; MWA, n = 11) experienced complications (P = 0.435). The VAS in the MWA group (5.38 ± 1.21) was significantly higher than that in the CYA group (2.22 ± 0.87; P < 0.001). While CYA has equal safety and high primary efficacy as MWA in the treatment of perivascular HCC, it is associated with less periprocedural pain.