High intensity ultrasound clamp for bloodless partial nephrectomy: In vitro and in vivo experiments

In some patients at risk of disease recurrence of renal cancers, maximum conservation of the kidney is possible through partial nephrectomy. However, bloodless surgery is difficult to achieve. The article describes an ultrasonic clamp, which optimises energy deposition and monitors lesion development with an echo-based technique. Using this novel apparatus, coagulation necroses have been obtained in vitro on substantial thicknesses (23 to 38 mm) over exposure durations ranging from 10 s to 130 s, and with acoustic intensities of less than 15 W/cm(2) per transducer. When used for coagulation purposes, two transducers situated on opposite arms of the clamp are driven, while for monitoring, only one is used. Lesions are monitored in real time by analysing the echo signal returned by the opposite arm of the clamp. The presence of a lesion is evaluated on the basis of energy changes and echo phase as a function of time. Both kidneys of two pigs (30 to 36 mm thick) were treated in vivo with the clamp, and the partial nephrectomies performed proved to be bloodless.