Percutaneous CT and Ultrasound-Guided Tumor Ablation

You are scheduled for an Ablation procedure. Take the D elevators to the 3rd floor and go to First Day Surgery. Your procedure is scheduled on: 

______________ at ___________. 

We use microwave ablation to treat your liver, lung, bone, kidney, or other tumors. It is less invasive than standard surgery. Recovery time is faster. It is done by a radiologist. They use ultrasound and/or CT scan to guide the treatment.

Long thin needles are inserted through the skin into the tumor. Microwave ablation is a heat-based method. Microwave current is put through the needles into the tumor. The heat from the current destroys the tumor tissue. Most of the normal tissue around it is spared. Sterile water may be used to protect other body parts from being burned. 

Problems after are rare but can include bleeding or infection. Other rare problems may include a collapsed lung, a bowel injury, kidney or liver failure.

Cryo-ablation is also used to treat kidney tumors. Long thin needles are inserted through the skin into the tumor. Extreme cold is sent through them to freeze the tumor. Sometimes sterile water is inserted for this treatment also. Your urology doctor will be working with the radiologist during this procedure. They will decide the best treatment for you.

Before the Procedure

You will have a planning ultrasound. We will schedule this visit for you. 

Tell us if you have allergies to medicines, X-ray dye, crabs, or shellfish.

Tell us if you are taking medicines which thin your blood. You will be asked to stop taking them 5-7 days before the procedure. Do not stop these medicines without talking to the doctor who ordered them.

If you take aspirin, you will stay on your 81mg dose or decrease your 325mg dose to 81mg if you have any cardiac or vascular stents. The nurse will discuss this with you.

You will take most of your prescription medicines as usual the morning of the procedure. If there are some you should not take, you will be told by your doctor or by the nurse that calls you before you come in.

Let us know if you have trouble with any joints, mainly your hips, shoulders, or neck. Tell us if you have had any neck or back surgeries, or any devices like an insulin pump or pain stimulator.

Tests Needed Before Procedure

History and physical (within 30 days) Date______ Time______________

Blood work (within 30 days) Date______________ Time______________

EKG (within 6 months) Date___________________ Time______________

Chest x-ray (within 6 months)Date___________ Time_______________

Review medicines Date____________________ Time_______________

The Day Before

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.

• Hold any medicines that were told not to take.

• Only take sips of water with your approved medicine.

The Morning of Procedure 

Do not eat anything before your treatment. Take your normal medicines with a sip of water. If you take insulin or oral diabetic medicines, do not take any unless told to do so. Your blood sugar will be checked when you arrive at the hospital. 

Blood pressure medicines may also need to be held. We will discuss this with you at your physical exam. The ablation nurse will also discuss your medicines at the planning ultrasound visit.

The Procedure

Your ablation will last 2 to 4 hours. It is done in a CT scan room. You will lie on a CT scan table. You will be given medicine to put you to sleep. Monitors will check your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen level. You will wake up in the recovery room.

After the Procedure

Plan to stay in the hospital overnight. You will be watched closely, and your vital signs taken often. It is normal to have mild pain at the treatment site. A nurse can bring you medicines for pain. You may have mild nausea. You may have medicines for this also. When you are fully awake, you will be able to drink and eat. 

You may have flu-like symptoms within 3-7 days. Be sure to drink extra fluids such as water or juice for the next few days. These symptoms only last about 24- 48 hours.

A CT or MRI scan needs to be done after the ablation to see the progress. Your doctor will order this. You will have follow-up scans for at least a year.

When to Call

• Severe pain around the site

• Fever over 101° F 

• Pain that is not controlled with oral medicine

• Nausea or vomiting that won’t go away

• Numbness around the site

Who to Call

Radiology nurse 8:00 am to 4:30 pm weekdays, 608-265-1967

Urology Clinic (kidney) 8:00 am to 4:30 pm weekdays, (608) 263-4757

After hours, call the paging operator at 

(608) 262-0486. Ask for the radiology doctor who did your ablation. Give your name and phone number with the area code. A doctor or nurse will call you back.

If you live out of the area, call: 

1-800-323-8942.