title: Integrated ablation and division device for liver resection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraoperative blood loss during liver resection may be minimized by ablating the liver parenchyma using radiofrequency (RF) energy. However, it is difficult to estimate the depth of the avascular plane and more RF energy than necessary may be inadvertently used as a result of lack of feedback.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laparoscopic liver resection was performed on a live porcine model to determine the feasibility and applicability of a model which integrates ablation and division in a single device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Liver resection was uncomplicated with minimal bleeding. The integration of the ablation and division mechanism resolved the difficulty of estimating the depth of the avascular plane after coagulation. The real-time feedback mechanism minimized liver damage by eliminating the application of unnecessary RF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed model is functionally acceptable and represents a possible method of determining the depth of the avascular plane and the amount of RF energy required during liver resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore. cfscky@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Stephen Kin Yong
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wah Wah
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Hlaing
authors.forename: Wei Hsuan
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chee Kong
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine