An electrode array that minimizes blood loss for radiofrequency-assisted hepatic resection

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Medical Devices
• Radiofrequency Ablation

Background:

• Hepatic resection is standard for liver cancer but involves significant blood loss (0.6-1.35 L).
• High blood loss increases complications, prolongs hospital stays, and reduces survival.
• Existing ablation technologies for reducing blood loss are time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel radiofrequency (rf) device for rapid coagulation of liver resection planes.
• To assess the device's efficacy in reducing blood loss and treatment time during hepatic resection.

Main Methods:

• A linear array of blade-shaped rf electrodes was developed.
• Bipolar rf power was applied between adjacent electrodes to coagulate large vessels (>3 mm).
• Rapid switching enabled simultaneous coagulation of the entire resection plane within 3-6 minutes.

Main Results:

• In porcine models, pre-coagulation with the device resulted in minimal (<20 mL) to no blood loss.
• All vessels up to 4.5 mm in diameter were effectively coagulated.
• Average treatment times were 6.8 min (4 electrodes) and 11.3 min (5-7 electrodes).

Conclusions:

• The developed rf device significantly reduces blood loss during hepatic resection.
• This technology has the potential to decrease blood loss-related morbidity and shorten treatment duration.
• The device offers a faster and more effective method for pre-coagulating liver resection planes.