The mechanism of transcatheter electrocoagulation (TCEC)

This study was performed to evaluate the temperature, pH change, and electrolysis products at the anode during transcatheter electrocoagulation (TCEC). Stainless steel and platinum anodes insulated by standard angiographic catheters were placed in renal dialysis tubing. The tubing, filled with either saline solution or plasma, was placed in a water bath (25 degrees C) containing a cathode. Temperature was recorded at the tip of the anode, placed in saline solution, using 15 ma for 20 minutes (n = 5 for each wire and current). pH was measured during applications of 15, 30, and 60 ma for 20 minutes (n = 6 for each current, anode, and solution). The solutions were analyzed for products of electrolysis. The temperature remained constant. The pH declined to 1.5 +/- .3 (mean +/- SEM) with the platinum electrode and to 2.5 +/- .5 with the stainless steel anode. Metallic elements and oxygen were the electrolysis products recovered from the stainless steel experiments. Chlorine gas was the major product recovered from the platinum studies. These results confirm that during TCEC there is no thermal injury. The pH change at the anode is probably a major mechanism in TCEC. Different types of reactions take place at platinum and stainless steel anodes, which may account for differences between TCEC with these two electrodes.