Abstract
Radiofrequency ablation is accepted as a minimally invasive treatment for renal tumors in patients who are poor candidates for surgery. However, ablation of tumors that abut large vessels is likely to be incomplete due to the heat-sink effect or may result in vascular injury. We report a case of a renal tumor abutting the inferior vena cava, which was successfully treated with radiofrequency ablation, with an emphasis on the technical aspects required to avoid both incomplete ablation and vascular injury by using a radiofrequency electrode as a lever.
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