319 Systematic Review of Safety and Oncological Outcomes of Irreversible Electroporation in Renal Tumours

Abstract

Introduction Thermal tumour ablation techniques are effective alternatives to nephrectomy for small renal masses (SRM). Thermal effects limit their use in tumours adjacent to vital structures. We review safety and oncological outcomes of irreversible electroporation (IRE), a novel non-thermal ablation technique, in SRMs. Method MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases were interrogated up to 29/11/2020 for studies reporting safety and oncological outcomes for SRMs in humans treated by IRE. Results Of 224 results screened, 10 met the inclusion criteria. In total, 83 patients were identified. Except for one cohort study (n = 41), remaining studies were case series of n < 10. Follow up was <12 months in 7/10 articles (Range 3-34 months). 10/10 articles reported safety outcomes. There were no 30-day mortalities. The most reported adverse events were transient haematuria (11/83) and asymptomatic perirenal haematomas (7/83). 62/63 patients with reported length of stay were discharged within 24 hours. No significant long-term changes in renal function were reported. 7/10 articles reported oncological outcomes. Only 1 article assessed histopathology outcomes. Remaining studies used CT, PET, or MRI for assessment. 4/7 (57%) patients with histopathology outcomes, showed complete response (CR). 43/55 (78%) patients with imaging base outcomes, showed CR. No mortalities were reported due to SRMs. Conclusions Initial findings support IRE as safe and feasible in managing SRMs. Results from larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate oncological outcomes and compare these with other ablation methods. Discrepancy between CR rates in histopathology vs imaging assessment could indicate higher sensitivity of histopathology for assessing outcomes.