3-point nursing care for patients with liver cancer treated with microwave ablation

Microwave ablation is a new method for treating liver cancer. It has achieved long-term efficacy similar to surgical resection in the treatment of small liver cancer and early liver cancer. After the operation, the patient should be well cared for to reduce complications and pain and promote full recovery.

1. Care of the puncture site

Observe the puncture site for exudation or bleeding, and keep the puncture site clean and dry. Do not take a bath within two days after the operation, but wipe your body to prevent water from contaminating the wound. If the puncture site is red, swollen, or pus oozes out, you should give anti-inflammatory treatment, change the dressing, etc. according to the doctor's instructions to avoid worsening infection.

2. Pain care

Since microwave ablation therapy causes tumor tissue to coagulate and necrotize to achieve the treatment purpose, its thermal effect also causes burns and stimulation of the liver capsule, causing distension and pain. The pain is more obvious within two days after surgery and lasts for 3 to 5 days. If the pain is more severe, patients can follow the doctor's advice to give appropriate analgesics, such as pethidine and morphine, after excluding complications such as intraperitoneal bleeding.

3. Observe changes in body temperature

Patients may have fever on the first day after ablation, with body temperature fluctuating between 37.5℃ and 38.5℃. Generally, the temperature gradually returns to normal after 2 days. Physical cooling and symptomatic medication can be given. Patients with chills before high fever should pay attention to infection. Fever for more than 1 week may lead to secondary infection. Patients with fever should change sweaty clothes in time, keep warm, and take good skin care and basic care.

Description: How microwave ablation works

Microwave ablation therapy is a method in which the oscillation frequency (2450MHz) can cause the water molecules in the tissue around the electrode to oscillate at high speed when passing through the tissue. The high-speed oscillating molecules generate a large amount of heat due to friction. The temperature range of the treatment area is about 80℃~100℃, which can decrease from the center to the periphery. The ablation zone is elliptical, with a short diameter of about 3.5cm~4cm, which can completely kill the cells inside.