USA Health uses new technology to treat liver tumors
The Edison histotripsy system uses brief high-intensity ultrasound pulses to destroy liver tumors without incisions, needles or long recovery times.
By Carol McPhail
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USA Health has started using a new ultrasound system to treat liver tumors, becoming the first health system in Alabama and one of fewer than 100 in the nation to employ the groundbreaking, noninvasive treatment. The Edison histotripsy system uses brief high-intensity ultrasound pulses to destroy liver tumors without incisions, needles or long recovery times.
On Wednesday, Aug. 20, surgical oncologist Natalie Bath, M.D., led a multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses during the first procedure, which liquified a tumor on the patient’s liver, at USA Health University Hospital.
“This treatment is noninvasive, which allows for a quick and easy recovery for the patient,” Bath said. "Also, patients can continue with other therapies, such as chemotherapy, without interruption."
To deliver the treatment, Bath used an ultrasound machine connected to a mobile robotic arm, which was positioned above the patient’s abdomen to precisely target a tumor in the liver. The procedure took approximately three hours.
Histotripsy works by creating high-amplitude, short-duration ultrasound pulses that form a “bubble cloud” within a tumor. These bubbles mechanically break apart targeted tissue without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. Because it avoids radiation and heat, and does not involve surgery, histotripsy significantly reduces the risk of complications. Patients can also continue other therapies such as chemotherapy without interruption.
Histotripsy was approved by the FDA for treating liver tumors in 2024. USA Health’s acquisition of the Edison system, announced July 16, was made possible through philanthropic support from the USA Foundation.
For more information about the non-invasive treatment for liver tumors, please visit USA Health’s histotripsy webpage.
