Application Detail
Status
OpenDescription of Medical Service
Microwave thermal ablation (MTA) is a thermoablative technique that uses high frequency electromagnetic energy to produce large ablation volumes in fast procedure times (up to six minutes), with high accuracy and predictability (Swan et al. 2012).MTA is used to treat patients with surgically unresectable primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or metastatic liver tumours. It can be administered percutaneously, laparoscopically or intraoperatively in radiology departments or in operating theatres (Simon et al. 2005).
Description of Medical Condition
Hepatic resection is currently the only potentially curative treatment for primary and metastatic liver tumours cases (Bhardwaj et al. 2009). They reported a 5 year associated survival of 25-30% of patients and a 25 month median survival (Bhardwaj et al. 2009). However, 75-80% of patients with these tumours are not candidates for surgical resection due to tumour location and extent, poor physiological hepatic reserve from cirrhosis/hepatitis and extra-hepatic disease (Bhardwaj et al. 2009; Swan et al. 2012). MTA may be an ideal treatment approach for these patients.Reason for Application
New MBS itemMedical Service Type
TherapeuticPrevious Application Number
Not ApplicableAssociated Documentation
Application Form
-PICO Confirmation
Final Protocol (PDF 6843 KB)Final Protocol (Word 1199 KB)
Assessment Report
Final Contracted Assessment Report (PDF 3831 KB)Final Contracted Assessment Report (Word 1819 KB)
Public Summary Document
Public Summary Document (PDF 235 KB)Public Summary Document (Word 103 KB)