The injection for liver lesions, specifically cancerous ones, involves injecting pure alcohol directly into the tumor. This procedure is called Percutaneous Ethanol Injection (PEI).
Percutaneous Ethanol Injection (PEI) Explained
PEI is a technique used to treat liver tumors, primarily hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It involves injecting absolute ethanol (pure alcohol) into the tumor through a needle.
How PEI Works
- Direct Injection: A very thin needle is guided, often with the assistance of ultrasound, directly into the liver lesion.
- Alcohol Delivery: Completely sterile, pure alcohol is injected.
- Dehydration and Cell Death: The alcohol works by drawing water out of the cancerous cells, causing rapid dehydration and ultimately killing the tumor cells. PEI kills tumors by drawing water out of the cells and rapidly dehydrating them.
Key Aspects of PEI
- Sterility: The alcohol used must be completely sterile.
- Precision: The injection needs to be precise to target the tumor cells effectively.
- Needle Type: An ultrathin needle is typically used to minimize trauma to the liver.
