radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a medical procedure that uses a high-frequency alternating current produced by a radiofrequency generator oscillating in a closed-loop circuit. This current heats a needle to over 60°C, which is used to cause intentional protein denaturation and tissue damage .

Applications

• tumor ablation: established for the local destruction of liver, lung, and bone tumors, e.g. HCC and osteoid osteoma
  • liver tumor ablation
  • lung tumor ablation
  • renal tumor ablation
• cardiac arrhythmia: used in the treatment of an abnormally discharging focus within the heart
• ablation neurotomy and pain management for specific nerve plexuses or Morton neuroma
• varicose veins: an alternative to sclerotherapy, as the produced heat causes closure of the affected vein

Complications

• thermal injuries to the adjacent structures: in liver tumor ablation, this means potential injury to the diaphragm, colon, gallbladder, or bile ducts, which may result in perforation, leakage of secretions, or stricture formation
• pneumothorax and pleural effusion: in lung tumor ablation
• hemorrhage: small vessels are more liable to hemorrhage more than large vessels which are rather protected by "heat sink" effect of flowing blood
• infection is a relatively low risk of radiofrequency ablation
• tumor seeding along the needle tract
• post-ablation syndrome: flu-like symptoms, including low-grade fever, chills, nausea, pain, and malaise. It is a self-limited condition that usually begins three days after ablation
• dysfunction of a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator due to the use of radiofrequency waves

Siehe auch:

• Transarterielle Chemoembolisation
• Selektive interne Radiotherapie (SIRT)
• pancreatic radiofrequency ablation
• radiofrequency ablation treatment for localised prostate cancer
• percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of post-menopausal breast cancer
• Laserinduzierte interstitielle Thermotherapie (LITT)

und weiter:

• selective internal radiation therapy
• embolisation of liver tumors
• Irreversible Elektroporation (IRE)
• Bildgebung nach ablativen Verfahren
• percutaneous tumor ablation
• Osteoid Osteoma Radio-frequency Ablation
• radiofrequency ablation treatment for the palliation of a large pancreatic secondary mass
• Radiofrequenzablation (RFA) bei pulmonalen Metastasen
• Radiofrequenzablation mit Balloninterposition zum Magen
• Radiofrequenzablation (RFA) bei Lungentumoren