Bloodless liver resection using needle arrays under alternating electromagnetic fields.
OBJECTIVE
Hemostasis is a major difficulty associated with hepatectomies. The authors designed a new thermal surgery system to reduce blood loss.


METHODS
The newly designed system consists of an alternating magnetic field generator and stainless steel needle arrays with thermosensitive bands. Lanyu pigs were used: 4 for the Kelly crushing method and 4 for the newly designed method. The procedures used were S4-S5 segmentectomies or left lateral segmentectomies, after which the amount of blood loss and operation times were compared. The pigs were observed for 4 weeks, after which liver pathologies were studied.


RESULTS
The blood loss in the method proposed by the authors was almost 0 mL, whereas with the Kelly crushing method it was 116 +/- 35 mL. The method proposed in this study can save 15 to 25 minutes of operation time. The resected liver margins exhibited prominent apoptosis and fibrotic change in the remnant livers.


CONCLUSIONS
The method proposed is a novel new way of performing thermal surgery.
Shan
Yan-Shen
YS
National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Zuchini
Roberto
R
Tsai
Hung-Wen
HW
Lin
Pin-Wen
PW
Lee
Gwo-Bin
GB
Lin
Xi-Zhang
XZ
D000818:Animals; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009339:Needles; D013552:Swine