Navigation Improves Tumor Ablation Performance: Results From a Novel Liver Tumor Simulator Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Innovation
• Oncology

Background:

• Microwave ablation for hepatic tumors demands advanced ultrasound skills.
• Improper technique risks under- or over-treatment and patient harm.
• Emprint SX™ navigation offers real-time, augmented reality guidance for ablation antenna and zone localization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Emprint SX™ navigation versus standard ultrasound in simulated hepatic tumor ablation.
• To test the hypothesis that Emprint SX™ navigation improves targeting and optimizes ablation coverage.

Main Methods:

• Surgical residents and faculty performed simulated microwave ablations using standard ultrasound (STD) and Emprint SX™ navigation (NAV).
• Primary outcome: percentage of under-ablation.
• Secondary outcomes: over-ablation, trial completion time, and antenna placement attempts.

Main Results:

• Emprint SX™ navigation (NAV) reduced under-ablation by 16.3% (P < .001) and over-ablation by 14.0% (P < .001) compared to STD.
• NAV was faster by 32 seconds (P < .001) and required fewer antenna attempts (P < .001).
• Novice ablationists showed significant improvements with NAV, exceeding those of experienced practitioners (P = .018).

Conclusions:

• Emprint SX™ navigation enhances ablation efficacy and efficiency in a simulated environment.
• Novice surgeons benefit most from Emprint SX™ navigation compared to standard ultrasound guidance.