The mean tumor size on preoperative

CT was 2.8 cm (range, 1.3–4.7) and there was no significant difference from the intraoperative measurement of 2.9 cm (range, 1.3–4.4). There has been some evidence to suggest that the cryoablation protocol is most efficacious for a tumor size of less than 4.0 cm [17]. Following the growth of our clinical experience, we were able to treat larger masses (tumor size did not exceed 5 cm). Therefore, in our study, the size of find more the tumors treated with cryoablation ranged from 1.3 to 4.7 cm. Argon–helium cryoablation was successfully performed in all 32 patients. All tumors were completely ablated with a single procedure of cryoablation, except for two tumors that were ablated with two sessions of treatment. The first patient enrolled

Crenolanib mouse in the trial had small residual enhanced nodules at the periphery of the lesion, and the cyst was detected at 24 h after the cryoablation procedure. The patient’s tumor, a 1.8 cm bladder cancer, showed residual enhancement in the portion that abutted the treated site and the patients was retreated by cryoablation. The other patient suffered a recurrence 6 months after cryoablation therapy. This patient initially had a 2.3 cm tumor mass, and was suspected to have a small residual hubble according to the image findings of the 3-month follow-up CT scan. Enhancement of the residual hubble was confirmed at the 6-month CT scan, and was from retreated by cryoablation at 9 months after the initial treatment. Subsequently, CT images obtained for this patient at 3 and 6 months after the second treatment did not show any evidence of another recurrence. For small tumors, a single cryoprobe was used to ablate the tumor, whereas multiple cryoprobes were used to ablate the larger tumors. CT performed within 24 h after treatment showed that all tumors were completely ablated. A total of 29 of 32 patients had 33-month follow-up (range, 6–48 months) data that was adequate for analysis. The results indicated that there was no tumor recurrence or enhancement, except

for the above two cases. Examples of the CT scans for the patients are shown in Fig. 2. Complete resolution of the treated mass or a residual small cyst without enhancement was observed in CT for all patients during the follow-up period (Fig 3), except for three patients who were lost to follow-up. There was no significant complications but no major complications associated with the cryoablation procedure. Symptoms of bladder cancer present before and within 3 days after percutaneous cryoablation are shown in Table 2. All complications had disappeared completely after 2 weeks. Radical cystectomy and transurethral resection are currently the reference standards for treating muscle-invasive bladder cancer [6] and [22].