Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. While surgical resection and transplantation are the standard first-line treatments for early-stage HCC, most patients do not fulfill criteria for surgery. Fortunately, catheter-directed and percutaneous locoregional approaches have evolved as major treatment modalities for unresectable HCC. Improved outcomes have been achieved with novel techniques which can be employed for diverse applications ranging from curative-intent for small localized tumors, to downstaging or bridging to resection and transplantation for early and intermediate disease, and locoregional control and palliation for advanced disease. This review explores recent advances in liver-directed techniques for HCC including bland transarterial embolization, chemoembolization, radioembolization, and ablative therapies, with a focus on patient selection, procedural technique, periprocedural management, and outcomes.

Local electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves can block the propagation of action potentials, as an attractive alternative to pharmacological agents for the treatment of acute pain. Traditional hardware for such purposes, however, involves interfaces that can damage nerve tissue and, when used for temporary pain relief, that impose costs and risks due to requirements for surgical extraction after a period of need. Here, we introduce a bioresorbable nerve stimulator that enables electrical nerve block and associated pain mitigation without these drawbacks. This platform combines a collection of bioresorbable materials in architectures that support stable blocking with minimal adverse mechanical, electrical, or biochemical effects. Optimized designs ensure that the device disappears harmlessly in the body after a desired period of use. Studies in live animal models illustrate capabilities for complete nerve block and other key features of the technology. In certain clinically relevant scenarios, such approaches may reduce or eliminate the need for use of highly addictive drugs such as opioids.

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