Ablation is one of the liver cancer treatments and in this method, heat or ethanol injections are used to destroy the cancer cells. It is performed after giving local anesthesia to the patient, which makes the tissues numb so that the patient doesn’t realize the pain. Ablation is a good procedure if the patient is not fit for a surgery or a liver transplant.

There are two types of thermal ablation radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation:

1. Radiofrequency ablation
This type of ablation utilizes electric current to burn the cancer cells in the liver. One or more electrodes are inserted inside the skin to the site of the tumor that electrocutes the cancer cells, raising the temperature and burning them down. The heat travels a very short distance, hence the nearby tissues are undamaged in this.

2. Microwave ablation
This is a similar procedure but utilizes the concept of electromagnetic induction, which is a similar type of energy used to burn down the cancer cells.

3. How ablation treats liver cancer
A person can use ablation as a treatment for liver cancer if he or she has been declared unfit for a transplant or a surgery like a hepatectomy. It is also a solution where the site of cancer cells is dangerous for surgery, like a huge blood vessel or even near the gallbladder. Small tumors can be effectively removed using RFA whereas cancer as small as five centimeters can be best removed by ablation. The latter is often combined with other procedures for better results.

Before deciding on and beginning either procedure, there is an appointment at the pre-assessment clinic about a week before and the assessment ensures whether the patient is fit enough to undergo it. An ECG and a blood test are performed to assess the heart and the individual is briefed on the procedure in detail. It is advisable for the patients to highlight any allergies of medicines like aspirin, arthritis medicines, warfarin, and clopidogrel.

4. The ablation procedure
On the day of the procedure, the patient should avoid eating anything for at least six hours before it and drinking water before two hours of the procedure. A general anesthetic will be administered, meaning the patient will be sleeping while the procedure is carried out. In some cases, the patient is given sedation pills and local anesthesia is given at the site of the procedure. An ultrasound or a CT scan is used to guide the electrodes to the site of the cancer cells. After reaching the site, the probe heats the cells and destroys them.

5. Care post-ablation
The patient is bedridden for a few hours after the procedure and is allowed to eat and drink once they get up and feel normal. Under normal circumstances, the individual is discharged the next day of the procedure and they can resume normal activities after a week’s rest. The patient is advised to take scans once every five to six weeks to assess the success of the liver cancer treatment.