Ten-year survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation as a first-line treatment

Table 7 Incidence of major complications in 548 treatment sessions

Type of procedure-related complications1	No. of events	Managements
Major complications	10 (1.8)
Bowel perforation	1	Surgically repaired
Seeding metastasis	3	Surgical resection
Pneumothorax or hemothorax	3	Drainage
Intraperitoneal hemorrhage	1	Ablation in site
Liver abscess	1	PTCD2
Biliary stenosis	1	PTCD
No. of deaths	1 (0.2)	(Bowel perforation) Surgically repaired

¹Definition of a major complication was a complication that, if left untreated, might threaten the patient’s life, lead to substantial morbidity and disability, or result in a lengthened hospital stay. All other complications were considered minor;

²PTCD: percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage.