Histotripsy

At Providence, you’ll receive state-of-the-art care for the treatment of liver tumors. We are the first hospital system on the West Coast to offer histotripsy, a revolutionary treatment that destroys liver tumors without a single incision. The histotripsy procedure has shown a 95.5% success rate in clinical trials.

Histotripsy is an FDA-approved treatment for malignant and benign liver tumors. The procedure works by using high-energy ultrasound waves to destroy liver tumors without the need for a single incision. In clinical trials, histotripsy has shown a 95.5% success rate.

During the histotripsy procedure, targeted ultrasound waves form bubble clouds that implode and collapse rapidly, destroying only tumor cells. After tumors are liquefied by the sonic beam, only tiny molecules remain in the body. These microscopic fragments are too small to allow the cancer to spread and regrow.

The robotic-assisted histotripsy procedure is performed by our specially trained interventional radiologists using sophisticated imaging technology.

Patients receive general anesthesia to minimize movement during the procedure, but it isn’t painful. Patients typically go home the same day they have the procedure.

Benefits

Because the histotripsy procedure is noninvasive and requires no incision, it minimizes the risk of infection, bleeding and other complications. Histotripsy can be used to effectively treat liver tumors in patients who are not candidates for open surgery or have been told their live tumor is inoperable. The procedure can be used in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and can also be used to treat metastatic cancer that has spread to the liver.

Histotripsy is currently approved by the FDA to treat malignant and benign liver tumors.  

Providence is among the first medical centers in the world to offer histotripsy, a FDA-approved treatment for primary and secondary liver tumors. The robotic-assisted procedure uses high-intensity sound waves to destroy tumors without the use of needles, incisions, radiation or thermal heat.

Patient-centered care 

As a patient at Providence, you and your loved ones are supported by an entire care team throughout your treatment journey. Our board-certified medical oncologists will develop an individualized treatment plan designed to meet your unique health and cancer care needs.

Expert care team 

We are among the world’s highest volume centers to perform this procedure. This means a more experienced team of specialty physicians, a precise procedure and a better outcome for you. Our board-certified interventional radiologists work closely with a care team of other clinicians who are specially trained to use image-guided, advanced ultrasound technology to ensure the precise targeting of tumors. 

Our leadership in innovation helps us provide better care – and a better life – for you and your loved ones. 
 

Learn How Our Doctors Are Impacting Patients

Providence is the first health system on the West Coast to offer histotripsy, a revolutionary treatment for malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous) liver tumors. The FDA-approved procedure uses high-energy ultrasound waves that convert to sonic beams and destroy liver tumors without a single incision.

Doctors Specializing in Histotripsy

At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.