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Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation of porcine liver

  • Original Article–Gastroenterology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Animal studies of endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) of the liver have rarely been reported. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of EUS-RFA in pigs.

Methods

We conducted four experiments using newly designed RFA electrodes. In the first experiment, we ablated excised liver using 19 G electrodes with active electrode tips with lengths of 1, 1.5, and 2 cm. The second experiment was performed with the same electrodes as those used in the first experiment, but with the electrodes inserted into the livers of live pigs under EUS. In the third experiment, we tested the electrodes for water permeability. In the fourth experiment, we performed EUS-RFA on live pigs, using 19 G electrodes in 7/12 pigs and 18 G electrodes in 5/12 pigs. Complications were evaluated after 7 days of survival.

Results

The newly designed RFA electrodes achieved ablation of the liver. In the first experiment, the maximal sizes of the ablation areas were 27, 26, 24, and 25 mm at 10, 20, 30, and 40 W, respectively, with the 2-cm electrode. In the second experiment, the maximal vertical sizes were 22, 23, 22, and 23 mm at 10, 20, 30, and 40 W, respectively, with the 2-cm electrode. In the third experiment, the 18 G electrode had better water permeability than the 19 G electrode. In the fourth experiment, all pigs survived. Complications occurred in 1/5 (18 G electrode) and 4/7 (19 G electrode) pigs.

Conclusion

We performed EUS-RFA in pigs and concluded that it may be feasible to perform RFA of lesions near the stomach.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Taewoong Medical for volunteering to carry out Experiment 3 and providing valuable data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, Wakayama, 641-8509, Japan

    Shuya Maeshima, Yoshiyuki Ida, Ryo Shimizu, Yuki Kawaji, Takashi Tamura, Junya Nuta, Keiichi Hatamaru, Masahiro Itonaga & Masayuki Kitano

  2. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, 377-2 Ohno-higashi, Osaka-sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan

    Masatoshi Kudo

Authors
  1. Shuya Maeshima
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  2. Yoshiyuki Ida
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  3. Ryo Shimizu
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  4. Yuki Kawaji
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  5. Takashi Tamura
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  6. Junya Nuta
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  7. Keiichi Hatamaru
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  8. Masahiro Itonaga
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  9. Masatoshi Kudo
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  10. Masayuki Kitano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shuya Maeshima.

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Conflict of interest

Shuya Maeshima, Yoshiyuki Ida, Ryo Shimizu, Yuki Kawaji, Takashi Tamura, Jun-ya Nuta, Kei-ichi Hatamaru, Masahiro Itonaga, Masatoshi Kudo, and Masayuki Kitano declare that they have no conflicts of interest. This research was supported by the Research and Development Committee Program of The Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine. This research was also supported by scholarship donations from Mochida Pharmaceutical, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, MSD, Chugai Pharmaceutical, and EA Pharma. The devices used in this research were provided by Century Medical and Taewoong Medical.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

All experiments were performed at Kobe Medical Device Development Center (MEDDEC) (Kobe, Japan) in cooperation with IVTeC (Tokyo, Japan). We performed animal experiments based on the IVTeC guidelines for animal experiments, which were enacted based on the “Act on Welfare and Management of Animals, Act No. 105 of October 1, 1973” and “Ordinances on Welfare and Management of Animals, Hyogo Prefecture Ordinance No. 8 of March 29, 1993,” and taking into account the importance and characteristics of animal experiments in education and research in life sciences. All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

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Maeshima, S., Ida, Y., Shimizu, R. et al. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation of porcine liver. J Med Ultrasonics 47, 435–443 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-020-01013-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-020-01013-x

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