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The first two patients with liver cancer have completed surgery using a pioneering histotripsy device to treat their tumors at Queen Mary Hospital today.
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This comes after the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMED) initiated a clinical research program to treat 20 liver cancer patients free of charge with histotripsy technology in the coming two years.
The first two patients have completed treatment on Thursday, with the treatment durations being nine and 13 minutes, respectively.
Technical staff from HistoSonics, the manufacturer of the histotripsy medical device called Edison, was also on hand to assist medical staff.
The histotripsy technology uses high-intensity ultrasound to destroy cancer cells and form microbubbles within the tumor. These bubbles rapidly expand and contract, producing shock waves to target tumor cells without damaging the surrounding tissue.
Patients with primary liver cancer or metastatic liver cancer can participate in the program, but they must meet certain conditions, including the tumor diameter being less than 5 cm and the ability to tolerate general anesthesia.
HKUMED launched the research program as they received Asia's first histotripsy device donated by the Li Ka Shing Foundation on Tuesday (Aug 27).
HKUMED explained that traditional liver cancer treatments are invasive and usually limited to not more than two sessions. However, histotripsy treatment is non-invasive, requires no cuts or radiation, allows for multiple treatments, and has a quick recovery time of one to two days.
It was learned that each liver cancer patient generally requires only one ultrasound tissue fragmentation treatment, and each procedure costs approximately USD 8,000 (about HK$62,400).
The program allows 20 patients at Queen Mary Hospital to undergo treatment at no cost -- ten funded by the Li Ka Shing Foundation and ten by the university.
