Histotripsy
How Histotripsy Destroys Liver Tumors
Histotripsy is a unique treatment that destroys liver tumors. The device fires soundwaves through a soft membrane – filled with specially treated water – that is placed on your abdomen, above the tumor. As the soundwaves travel through your body, they create a bubble cloud from the rapid expansion and collapse of gas bubbles naturally found in the body’s tissues. This bubble cloud destroys the targeted tumor.
Histotripsy has several benefits over traditional treatments for liver tumors. The non-invasive procedure is performed in an outpatient setting. Without incisions or needles, there’s a lower risk of infection, and recovery times are quicker. There is no radiation. And pinpoint accuracy means the tumor can be destroyed – often in a single session – with only minimal damage to healthy tissue.
What To Expect with Histotripsy Treatment
Your histotripsy treatment starts with a consultation with your doctor. This is your chance to ask questions and to determine if you are eligible. You may be given diet instructions as part of your preparation.
On the day of the procedure, your doctor will use ultrasound imaging to confirm your tumor’s size and location. This will be one of the last things you remember about treatment, which will begin after you receive general anesthesia.
While you are under anesthesia, the histotripsy treatment head will be positioned on your skin over the targeted tumor. The device sends intense beams of sound into the tumor, where it destroys the unhealthy tissue. Additional ultrasound images will help your doctor track the treatment’s progress. The noninvasive procedure often takes about an hour, though some tumors require a lengthier session.
Immediately after the procedure, it is not uncommon to feel some pain in your abdomen. In some instances, this may require a night in the hospital. But more often, patients can go home the same day and quickly return to normal activities.
FAQs
Yes. This procedure is the result of more than 20 years of research and testing; clinical trials started in 2018. A year later, it was used for the first time to destroy a liver tumor in a human.
Histotripsy is performed under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel anything during the procedure. Afterward, you may experience abdominal pain or fever.
This is a highly precise treatment. One of the key advantages of general anesthesia is that it allows your care team to maintain control over your body’s position during the procedure.
This depends on how you feel after the procedure, which may leave you with temporary pain. If so, your doctor may decide to keep you overnight.
Yes. In fact, histotripsy has been used in combination with other treatments (both before and after). Talk with your doctor about your options.
It is possible that you could be in and out of treatment in just an hour. But there are factors, including the number of tumors and their location, that could extend treatment time by up to several hours.
This is a new treatment, so it may be handled differently by various private insurers. However, Medicare should provide coverage if it is deemed reasonable and necessary.
If you have a liver tumor, you are a potential candidate. Talk to your liver specialist for more information.
