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Ex Vivo Liver Experiment of Hydrochloric Acid-Infused and Saline-Infused Monopolar Radiofrequency Ablation: Better Outcomes in Temperature, Energy, and Coagulation

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Abstract

Objective

To compare temperature, energy, and coagulation between hydrochloric acid-infused radiofrequency ablation (HAIRFA) and normal saline-infused radiofrequency ablation (NSIRFA) in ex vivo porcine liver model.

Materials and Methods

30 fresh porcine livers were excised in 60 lesions, 30 with HAIRFA and the other 30 with NSIRFA. Both modalities used monopolar perfusion electrode connected to a RF generator set at 103 °C and 30 W. In each group, ablation time was set at 10, 20, or 30 min (10 lesions from each group at each time). We compared tissue temperatures (at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 cm away from the electrode tip), average power, deposited energy, deposited energy per coagulation volume (DEV), coagulation diameters, coagulative volume, and spherical ratio between the two groups.

Results

Temperature–time curves showed that HAIRFA provided progressively greater heating than that of NSIRFA. At 30 min, mean average power, deposited energy, coagulation volumes (113.67 vs. 12.28 cm3) and diameters, and increasing in tissue temperature were much greater with HAIRFA (P < 0.001 for all), except DEV was lower (456 vs. 1396 J/cm3, P < 0.001). The spherical ratio was closer to 1 with HAIRFA (1.23 vs. 1.46). Coagulation diameters, volume, and average power of HAIRFA increased significantly with longer ablation times. While with NSIRFA, these characteristics were stable till later 20 min, except the power decreased with longer ablation times.

Conclusions

HAIRFA creates much larger and more spherical lesions by increasing overall energy deposition, modulating thermal conductivity, and transferring heat during ablation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81371652) and Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (No. 2012B031800120).

Author Contribution

Study design: Jin-hua Huang; Reagents preparation: Xiong-ying Jiang and Yang-kui Gu; Ex vivo liver experiments: Jin-hua Huang, Xiong-ying Jiang, and Tian-qi Zhang; Measurement of ablation lesions: Yang-kui Gu and Fei Gao; Collection of the data: Xiong-ying Jiang, Tian-qi Zhang, and Ru-hai Zou; Statistical analysis: Xiong-ying Jiang, Fei Gao, and Ru-hai Zou; Manuscript writing: Xiong-ying Jiang, Tian-qi Zhang, and Jin-hua Huang; Constructive suggestions: Yang-kui Gu, Fei Gao, and Tian-qi Zhang; Final approval of the manuscript: Jin-hua Huang.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, People’s Republic of China

    Xiong-ying Jiang, Yang-kui Gu, Jin-hua Huang, Fei Gao, Ru-hai Zou & Tian-qi Zhang

  2. Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People’s Republic of China

    Xiong-ying Jiang, Yang-kui Gu, Jin-hua Huang, Fei Gao, Ru-hai Zou & Tian-qi Zhang

  3. Department of Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People’s Republic of China

    Xiong-ying Jiang

Authors
  1. Xiong-ying Jiang
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  2. Yang-kui Gu
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  3. Jin-hua Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jin-hua Huang.

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Conflict of Interest

There are no any actual or potential conflicts of interest exist.

Ethical Approval

All applicable institutional and/or national guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Informed Consent

Since our experiments were performed in ex vivo bovine liver, additionally informed consent does not apply.

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Jiang, Xy., Gu, Yk., Huang, Jh. et al. Ex Vivo Liver Experiment of Hydrochloric Acid-Infused and Saline-Infused Monopolar Radiofrequency Ablation: Better Outcomes in Temperature, Energy, and Coagulation. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 39, 600–605 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-015-1218-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-015-1218-9

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