title: Solid Organ Cool-tip Radiofrequency Ablation: An Experimental Study with Clinicopathological Correlations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with internally cooled electrodes is a technique for the in situ treatment of solid tumors, inducing characteristic pathological changes with limited clinical complications. Our purpose was to assess RFA-induced histological alterations and correlate them with clinical complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a porcine model, the pathology of RFA-induced kidney, liver and spleen lesions was associated with the postoperative course and clinical complications recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complications and relevant histological lesions, including abscess formation, hemorrhage and bile or urinary leakage, were limited or absent. The majority of RFA-induced necrotic tissue exhibited preserved architecture, with relatively limited inflammatory reaction, associated with sealing of blood/bile vessels or urinary tubules along the periphery of the lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preserved architecture of RFA-induced necrotic tissue, its slow clearance, the relatively limited inflammation and the ability of RFA to seal blood/bile/urinary vessels are probably responsible for the minimal complications observed.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece Michalis_Kontos@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Michalis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kontos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Drakos
authors.affiliation: Experimental-Research Centre ELPEN Pharmaceuticals, Pikermi, Greece.
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papalois
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pikoulis
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Felekouras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013552:Swine
keywords: RFA; abscess; bile leakage; complications; hemorrhage