Luka Novosel, MD and his team of physicians performed the procedure on two patients with liver cancers with developed metastases on October 18, the hospital has reported. They explained that this novel method doesn’t use heat to destroy tumors, but rather specific electrical impulses that cause cell death, the so-called apoptosis, without any risk for other healthy surrounding structures and tissues. That leads to the natural death of the tumor cells, and the body independently and completely decomposes the tumor within 6 months replacing it with new healthy tissue, which is why scars don’t get formed on the organs, the director of the hospital, Dr. Davor Vagić explained.
The method is a potential treatment for tumors and metastases located deep in the liver, which are inaccessible to surgery and other treatment methods. It is also often used in the treatment of tumors of the pancreas and prostate, which are difficult to reach with classical surgical procedures, the press release added.
The two patients who underwent the irreversible electroporation procedure were discharged from the hospital the very next day, without any complications or pain. They will continue to be further monitored and their disease possibly treated further.
The irreversible electroporation procedure carried out by the expert team of Sestre Milosrdnice Clinical Hospital was closely followed by fellow doctors from the countries of the region with the aim of education and introduction in their hospital centers as well, said the director of the hospital, Dr. Vagić.
