Liver cancer is a rising epidemic, with over 41 thousand expected new cases this year, as well as almost 30 thousand liver cancer deaths.

The traditional treatments — surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation — often come with significant side effects and lengthy recovery times. That's why minimally invasive liver surgeon Dr. David Kwon at the Cleveland Clinic is using a new non-invasive technology that was recently approved by the FDA called histotripsy.

“Histotripsy is an ultrasonic-based energy device,” Cleveland Clinic Director of minimally invasive liver surgery Dr. David Kwon said. “It causes a cavitation with the ultrasonic pulse waves, and that cavitation causes microbubbles. It is those microbubbles that causes frictional force through the cells, and the cells die because of the production and disappearance of these microbubbles." 

The procedure takes only an hour to perform compared to traditional surgery, which can take up to seven hours.

While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term benefits, this breakthrough offers a new, less invasive option for liver cancer patients. 

Watch the video above for the full story.