Bilious pleuritis due to hepatic microwave ablation: Two illustrative cases and literature review

Ultrasound guided percutaneous thermal ablation has been well acknowledged in treating hepatic malignancy. Although thermal ablation is safe for the treatment, it may induce some lethal complications such as diaphragmatic injury, bile-stained pleural fistula, and bilious pleuritis. We presented 2 cancer patients in hepatic diaphragmatic dome showed diaphragmatic injury, bile-stained pleural fistula, and bilious pleuritis after microwave ablation (MVA). The symptoms were attenuated after chest drainage and anti-infection therapy. In the literature review, 17 articles published in the recent 10 years on diaphragmatic injury after MVA for treating hepatic cancer were available. Twenty-three cases were obtained, among which 2 showed bilious pleuritis after radiofrequency treatment. Most of the lesions were adjacent to the diaphragma. Among the articles reporting the localization of lesions, most of the cases showed lesions in S8, 2 in S7, 3 in S4, and 3 in S5, respectively. Surgical recovery was required for the patients with massive diaphragmatic injury. Only 2 cases underwent thorascopic surgery. After chest drainage and anti-infection, their symptoms were attenuated to some extent. Radiofrequency or MVA may induce pleural effusion, and special attention should be paid to the diaphragmatic injury induced by thermal ablation.