Background: Lung changes after microwave tissue ablation (MTA) of different volumes of liver were compared with hepatic resection, cryotherapy (CRYO) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
Methods: Live rats underwent MTA, surgical resection, CRYO or RFA of 15%, 33% and 66% of total hepatic volume and lung samples were collected at the time of death. Lung impairment was assessed directly by examining the tissue specimens for the degree of interstitial pneumonia and by comparing the alveolar thickness in the different groups.
Results: All RFA and CRYO rats undergoing 66% of ablations died, but the MTA group had no fatalities. Following 66% RFA or CRYO ablations, the animals had a significantly increased thickness of the alveolar septa compared to 15% or 33% ablations and to 66% ablations in the MTA group.
Conclusions: Large volume MTA is associated with a significant reduction in consequent lung damage and is well tolerated compared to RFA and CRYO.