Vertebral Body Bone Ablation with and without a Saline-Infused System in a Porcine Model

Area of Science:

• Spinal Surgery
• Interventional Radiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is utilized for bone lesion treatment.
• Controlled saline infusion is a potential adjunct to enhance RF ablation efficacy.
• The impact of saline infusion on spinal bone RF ablation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of controlled saline infusion on bone RF ablation in swine vertebral bodies.
• To compare ablation zone size, temperature, and impedance with and without saline infusion.
• To assess safety outcomes including spinal canal breach and neural structure damage.

Main Methods:

• RF ablation performed in swine vertebral bodies with and without saline infusion.
• Real-time temperature and impedance monitoring during ablation.
• Post-ablation analysis using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and histopathology.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in maximum/mean temperatures, impedance, or power output between groups.
• MR imaging and histopathology confirmed ablation zones confined within vertebral bodies.
• No spinal canal breach, spinal cord injury, or nerve damage observed.

Conclusions:

• Controlled saline infusion does not significantly impact bone RF ablation in swine spines.
• Saline infusion did not increase ablation zone size or alter safety parameters.
• Current evidence suggests saline infusion is not beneficial for spinal bone RF ablation.