Complications of percutaneous therapy

Percutaneous tumour ablation is a minimally invasive, image guided procedure which attracts a low morbidity (2%–10%) and procedure-related deaths are exceptional. As such it can be offered to patients who could not withstand more invasive procedures such as surgical resection. Complications can be divided into systemic and local, those related to the anatomical area and those specific to the ablative technique or the particular tumour type. Most ablation experience has been gained using radiofrequency in the liver for metastases or hepatocellular carcinoma. Newer applications include ablation of inoperable lung primary or metastatic disease and renal cell carcinoma. The most common complications are haemorrhage, super-added infection or collateral damage. Tumour dissemination, whilst a theoretical risk, is very unusual.