Comparative study of three different catheters for CT imaging-bronchoscopy-guided radiofrequency ablation as a potential and novel interventional therapy for lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
We previously reported that bronchoscopy-guided, internally cooled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in normal sheep lung was a safe, effective, and feasible procedure without major complications.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and feasible conditions of bronchoscopy-guided, internally cooled RFA as a clinical application for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Ten patients pathologically diagnosed with NSCLC and the clinical stage of T1N0M0 were enrolled in the study. Three types of internally cooled electrode catheter tips were prepared using different procedure conditions involving ablation time: an internally cooled electrode with a 5-mm cylindrical active tip at a power output of 20 W, flow rate of 50 mL/min, and an ablation time of 30 s (n = 3), an electrode with an 8-mm active tip with four beads at 20 W, 50 mL/min, and 40 s (n = 3), and an electrode with a 10-mm active tip with five beads at 20 W, 50 mL/min, and 50 s (n = 4). CT image-guided, bronchoscopy-guided, internally cooled RFA was performed, and the patients underwent standard lung resection therapy. The resected lung tissue was examined histopathologically to assess the ablated areas.


RESULTS
Ablated areas pathologically evaluated with the 10-mm active tip were significantly larger than those with the 5-mm tip. Thus, the ablated areas were enlarged depending on the tip length and prolonged ablation time. There were no complications during RFA, such as bronchial bleeding or pneumothorax.


CONCLUSIONS
CT imaging-bronchoscopy-guided, internally cooled RFA in humans is a safe and feasible procedure that could become a potential therapeutic tool for local control in medically inoperable patients with stage I NSCLC.
Tanabe
Tsuyoshi
T
1st Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi Matsumoto Nagano 390-8621, Japan.
Koizumi
Tomonobu
T
Tsushima
Kenji
K
Ito
Michiko
M
Kanda
Shintaro
S
Kobayashi
Takashi
T
Yasuo
Masanori
M
Yamazaki
Yoshitaka
Y
Kubo
Keishi
K
Honda
Takayuki
T
Kondo
Ryouichi
R
Yoshida
Kazuo
K
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome