A numerical study on the no-touch bipolar radiofrequency ablation^.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Monopolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for liver cancer risks tumor track seeding (TTS).
• Bipolar RFA in a no-touch mode is a potential alternative to mitigate TTS.
• Thermo-physiological responses during no-touch bipolar RFA require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically investigate the thermo-physiological responses during no-touch bipolar RFA.
• To evaluate the impact of the no-touch gap on RFA treatment outcomes.
• To understand the influence of electrode placement on liver tumor ablation efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Development of a 3D finite element model of liver tissue.
• Simulation of no-touch bipolar RFA using two RF electrodes.
• Analysis of the effects of varying no-touch gap distances on ablation patterns.

Main Results:

• A larger no-touch gap can lead to incomplete tumor destruction.
• The central tumor region may not be adequately heated with wider gaps.
• Joule heating is more concentrated around the electrodes, impacting ablation efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The no-touch gap distance is a critical parameter in bipolar RFA for liver cancer.
• Improper selection of the no-touch gap can reduce the effectiveness of the procedure.
• Optimizing the no-touch gap is essential for successful tumor ablation and preventing recurrence.