Radiofrequency ablation with sine and square electrical waveforms to enhance ablation range

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Engineering
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a key local therapy for primary liver cancers.
• Limited ablation ranges hinder RFA's effectiveness.
• Optimizing RF generator parameters is crucial for improving treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the ablation ranges and therapeutic efficacy of sine and square electrical waveforms in RFA.
• To evaluate the impact of different waveforms on tumor volume and survival.
• To investigate histological changes associated with each waveform.

Main Methods:

• Development of an RF generator with adjustable electrical waveforms (sine and square).
• Comparison of ablation ranges in porcine liver tissue.
• Evaluation of RFA efficacy in a mouse tumor model (45 BALB/c nude mice).
• Assessment of tumor volume, survival rates, and histological markers (necrosis, inflammation, heat shock proteins).

Main Results:

• Square waveforms demonstrated significantly larger ablation ranges than sine waveforms in porcine liver (p < 0.001).
• Mice treated with square waveforms showed significantly lower mean tumor volume (p < 0.001) and a higher survival rate (60%).
• Histological analysis revealed greater cellular coagulative necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, heat shock proteins, and tumor necrosis with square waveforms (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Square electrical waveforms offer enhanced ablation ranges in RFA.
• This waveform modification improves therapeutic efficacy for liver tumor management.
• RFA utilizing square waveforms presents significant potential for improved cancer treatment outcomes.