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Microwave ablation
Destroying a tumour with heat, through a needle.
Microwave ablation destroys a tumour in place. A fine needle is placed into it under CT or ultrasound guidance and controlled heat kills the tumour cells, with no cut and a short hospital stay.
What patients call it
Burning a tumour away with a needle
At a glance
- What it does
- Destroying a tumour with heat, through a needle.
- Used for
- Small liver tumours · Kidney tumours · Lung nodules in selected patients
- How it is done
- Imaging identifies the liver tumour and its exact location. → A needle-antenna is guided into the tumour center. → Microwave energy raises the temperature inside the tumour.
- Recovery
- Procedure: Day 0 - Device enters tumour; heat destruction. Overnight stay or day-case. · Day 1: Discharged and routine normal lifestyle resume.
Used for
- — Small liver tumours
- — Kidney tumours
- — Lung nodules in selected patients
Symptoms & Causes
Symptoms
- — Small liver or kidney tumours often have no symptoms
- — Found during routine surveillance scans
Common Causes
- — Primary liver cancer
- — Renal cell carcinoma
- — Lung nodules
Diagnosis & Treatment
How it is diagnosed
- — CT scan
- — Ultrasound
- — Biopsy (sometimes)
The Procedure
- — A needle-like antenna is guided into the tumour.
- — Microwave energy creates precise heat.
- — Cell death occurs within minutes.
- — Targeted destruction sparing healthy tissue.
Recovery & Benefits
- Procedure: Day 0 - Device enters tumour; heat destruction. Overnight stay or day-case.
- Day 1: Discharged and routine normal lifestyle resume.
- 1 Month: Follow-up imaging and normal life.
- 3 Months: Decision on further treatment based on imaging surveillance.
Procedure sequence
- 01
Imaging identifies the liver tumour and its exact location.
- 02
A needle-antenna is guided into the tumour center.
- 03
Microwave energy raises the temperature inside the tumour.
- 04
Heat destroys the tumour in its place.
- 05
The tumour is successfully treated through a single puncture.
Questions patients ask
Is tumour ablation painful?+
It is done under sedation or general anaesthesia. Afterwards there may be a dull ache and low-grade fever for a few days, which settles with simple medication.