A patient who developed diaphragmatic hernia one year after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

A 73-year-old man underwent percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in our hospital in January 2006, for a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of 1.8cm in size, located near the surface of S4. About 1 year later, in March 2007, he was re-admitted to our hospital for dyspnea, and underwent operation under the diagnosis of ileus with pleuritis. On laparotomy, we found a perforation of the intestine which had prolapsed through a defect of the diaphragm burned by RFA. Reports of diaphragmatic hernia associated with RFA have been very rare, but now we know at least five cases including our present case during these 5 years, suggesting a gradual increase in its incidence.