Radio killed the tumour star?

KARACHI: Radio Frequency Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that can help kill off small tumors in the liver and kidneys.

Expert radiologists from across the city met on Thursday to discuss the operation that can be done without admitting the patient. The day-long symposium was held at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) where speakers from Pakistan and abroad shared their experience with junior doctors. The speakers included Prof. Sarwat Hussain from Boston, Dr Tanveerul Haq from AKUH, Dr Syed Mehmood (Karachi X-Ray), Dr Rasheed Ahmed (ARC), Prof Tameem Akhtar (Ziauddin Hospital), Brig.

Irfanul Haq (PNS Shifa), Dr Tariq Mehmood (JPMC), Dr Mukhtar Memon (Civil Hospital Karachi), Prof Shabbir Naeem, Dr Mahira Yunus and Dr Amjad Sattar from SIUT. In the procedure, radio-frequency waves are focused on a small tumor to selectively burn out the tumor cells without significant damage to any adjacent portion of the involved organ. This procedure can be performed on an out-patient’s basis and complications are usually minimal. The doctors said that multiple tumors can be treated in one sitting.

According to Dr Amjad Sattar, this mode of treatment, available only in a few specialised institutions in the country, is provided free at the SIUT. The seminar included presentations and a hands-on workshop that helped participants understand the horizons of radiological workup in the malignant disease process with a multi-specially approach and to incorporate into practice the key applications of recent radiological tools.