{Reference Type}: Multicenter Study
{Title}: Microwave ablation with a blunt-tip antenna for pulmonary ground-glass nodules: a retrospective, multicenter, case-control study.
{Author}: Wei Z;Chi J;Cao P;Jin Y;Li X;Ye X;
{Journal}: Radiol Med
{Volume}: 128
{Issue}: 9
{Year}: 2023 Sep 17
{Factor}: 6.313
{DOI}: 10.1007/s11547-023-01672-z
{Abstract}: OBJECTIVE: A previous small-sample study verified that a blunt-tip antenna reduced hemorrhage during microwave ablation. We conducted this large-sample, multicenter, case-control study to further verify the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation with a blunt-tip antenna for ground-glass nodules.
METHODS: Patients with pulmonary ground-glass nodules were treated with either a sharp-tip (Group A) or blunt-tip antenna (Group B). A total of 147 and 150 patients were retrospectively allocated to Groups A and Group B, respectively. Group A patients underwent 151 procedures, and Group B patients underwent 153 procedures. We assessed the technical success, technique efficacy, and complications.
RESULTS: Technical success and overall technique efficacy were achieved in all patients (100%). Major complications of pneumothorax were more commonly observed in Group A than in Group B (19.7% vs. 2.0%, p < 0.001). Minor complications, such as intrapulmonary hemorrhage (2.0% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.005) and hemothorax (0.0% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.049), occurred less frequently in Group B compared to Group A.
CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of ground-glass nodules, microwave ablation with a blunt-tip antenna had equal efficacy compared to microwave ablation with a sharp-tip antenna but had a decreased number of hemorrhage and hemothorax complications.