Ultrasound vendor Aloka is working with Dr. Guido Torzilli, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Milan in Italy, to explore the clinical benefits of intraoperative ultrasound in hepatic cancer cases.
Without ultrasound-guided surgery, 35% to 50% of surgical cases require a major hepatectomy. However, using Torzilli's technique means only 4% of surgical cases result in major hepatectomies, according to Aloka.
In one case, Torzilli safely removed 49 lesions from one patient in a single operation. During the next three years, he removed 15 more lesions and left the patient with a functioning liver.
Torzilli said making the need for major hepatectomies around 10 times less likely is "a massive and positive step forward in the care of hepatic cancer patients."
A distinct tumor plug is seen in the portal vein. Intraoperative ultrasound enables surgeons to remove the lesion without damaging too much of the surrounding healthy tissue. Image courtesy of Aloka.
