High‐Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hypersplenism

The purpose of this work was to preliminarily investigate the efficacy and safety of high‐intensity focused ultrasound treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and hypersplenism. Nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism (5 male and 4 female; median age, 56 years; range, 51–66 years) were treated with ultrasound‐guided high‐intensity focused ultrasound. Complications were recorded. Laboratory examination and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate the efficacy. After high‐intensity focused ultrasound treatment, mean spleen ablation ± SD of 28.76% ± 6.1% was discovered; meanwhile, the white blood cell count, platelet count, and liver function of the patients were substantially improved during the follow‐up period. In addition, symptoms such as epistaxis and gingival bleeding were ameliorated or even eliminated, and the quality of life was improved. Follow‐up imaging showed a nonperfused volume in the spleen and an absence of a tumor blood supply at the treated lesions in the liver. For the first time to our knowledge, high‐intensity focused ultrasound ablation was used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism. High‐intensity focused ultrasound may be an effective and safe alternative for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism, but further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanisms.