The possibilities of radiofrequency technology in the surgery of parenchimatous organs.

Journal of medicine and life · 2009 · Benefit · Very low evidence

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BenefitVery low evidencePaper 3373

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of medicine and life · 2009

Study typeother

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine the possibilities of modern radiofrequency (RF) technology and the usefulness of abdominal and thoracic parenchymatous organs in surgery. Investigation was made on 17 patients with 125 RF energy realized cycles (an average of 7.35 per one pt.) and the average time heating coagulative necrosis of 42.6 minutes (maximum to 80 minutes). There was one complication (pleural effusion) in a patient with RF treatment of 5 metastases colorectal carcinoma (MCRC) and synchronous right hemicolectomy. There were no other complications either to close or to distant to the organs. The urgent need of RF technology was in the case of a patient with iatrogenic rupture of spleen, treated by radiofrequency coagulation (RFC) with documented preservation of the whole organ. Most of the patients with MCRC (64%) were intraoperatively treated with a combination of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and radiofrequency assisted resection (RFAR) of the liver with success in 95% of the cases. In the surgery of echinococcal liver cyst located deep, in the parenchyma, RFA were used for scolicidal purpose, and for hepatotomy. In the treatment of lung malignancies RF technology was reserved for nonsurgical candidates suffering from NSCLC, but also for surgical patients as a palliative measure in the treatment of local symptoms related to non-resectable primary and secondary tumors, presenting an aggressive tumor growth on the thoracic wall and the great vessels, with the possibility of reducing the number of explorative thoracotomy.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionbenefit

PopulationPatients undergoing abdominal and thoracic parenchymatous organ surgery (including MCRC liver metastases, echinococcal liver cysts, lung malignancies/NSCLC)

Sample size17

ExposureRF · average heating time 42.6 minutes (max 80 minutes)

Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In 17 patients undergoing 125 RF energy cycles, one complication (pleural effusion) was reported; no other close or distant organ complications were described. For most patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases treated intraoperatively with combined RFA and RF-assisted resection, success was reported in 95% of cases. RF coagulation was used in an iatrogenic splenic rupture with documented preservation of the organ, and RF was also used in deep echinococcal liver cyst surgery and as a palliative measure in lung malignancies.

Outcomes measured

Surgical complications (e.g., pleural effusion)
Technical/surgical success of RFA/RF-assisted resection
Organ preservation (spleen)
Use as scolicidal purpose/hepatotomy in echinococcal liver cyst surgery
Palliative/local symptom management in lung malignancies

Limitations

Small sample size (17 patients)
Study design not specified (appears to be a clinical case series without a control group)
RF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, power, SAR) not reported

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "medical/surgical radiofrequency ablation/coagulation",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "average heating time 42.6 minutes (max 80 minutes)"
  },
  "population": "Patients undergoing abdominal and thoracic parenchymatous organ surgery (including MCRC liver metastases, echinococcal liver cysts, lung malignancies/NSCLC)",
  "sample_size": 17,
  "outcomes": [
    "Surgical complications (e.g., pleural effusion)",
    "Technical/surgical success of RFA/RF-assisted resection",
    "Organ preservation (spleen)",
    "Use as scolicidal purpose/hepatotomy in echinococcal liver cyst surgery",
    "Palliative/local symptom management in lung malignancies"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In 17 patients undergoing 125 RF energy cycles, one complication (pleural effusion) was reported; no other close or distant organ complications were described. For most patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases treated intraoperatively with combined RFA and RF-assisted resection, success was reported in 95% of cases. RF coagulation was used in an iatrogenic splenic rupture with documented preservation of the organ, and RF was also used in deep echinococcal liver cyst surgery and as a palliative measure in lung malignancies.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Small sample size (17 patients)",
    "Study design not specified (appears to be a clinical case series without a control group)",
    "RF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, power, SAR) not reported"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "radiofrequency",
    "RFA",
    "radiofrequency coagulation",
    "radiofrequency assisted resection",
    "parenchymatous organs",
    "liver metastases",
    "colorectal carcinoma",
    "echinococcal liver cyst",
    "NSCLC",
    "surgery"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: 20108490

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