title: Experimental study of large-volume microwave ablation in the liver.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microwave coagulation therapy is useful in the destruction of small, irresectable liver tumours of primary and secondary origin. Unfortunately, the small lesion size produced by currently available equipment makes it difficult and time consuming completely to ablate lesions larger than 3 cm in diameter. A microwave system capable of producing large-volume ablations in very short periods of time has been developed. Using a large-animal model the ability of the equipment to produce large-volume lesions in a safe, predictable and dose-dependent manner was tested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen large white pigs were anaesthetized and underwent multiple microwave treatments. The animals were killed at different timepoints to investigate lesion size and evolution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The microwave system was able to generate large-volume ablations of up to 6.5 cm in diameter in a controlled and dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel microwave system allows the ablation of large volumes of liver tissue in a short period of time. The ability to produce lesions reproducibly and safely highlights the potential of this system in the future treatment of irresectable liver tumours.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery and Histopathology, Leicester Royal Infirmary and Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, and Medical Devices Technology Group, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Festing
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: G S M
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lloyd
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery*; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013552:Swine