Experimental Evaluation of the Heat Sink Effect in Hepatic Microwave Ablation

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 7; p. e0134301
• Main Authors: Ringe, Kristina I, Lutat, Carolin, Rieder, Christian, Schenk, Andrea, Wacker, Frank, Raatschen, Hans-Juergen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29.07.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Ablation; Ablation Techniques - methods; Analysis; Animals; Antennas; Blood flow; Blood vessels; Care and treatment; Computer simulation; Cooling; Deformation; Flow rates; Flow velocity; Heat; Heat sinks (Electronics); Hot Temperature; In Vitro Techniques; Lesions; Liver; Liver - blood supply; Liver - physiology; Liver - surgery; Liver diseases; Maximum temperatures; Medical schools; Microwave ablation; Microwaves - therapeutic use; Models, Animal; Polymethyl methacrylate; Radiofrequency ablation; Statistical analysis; Sus scrofa; Temperature; Temperature changes; Tubes; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134301

To demonstrate and quantify the heat sink effect in hepatic microwave ablation (MWA) in a standardized ex vivo model, and to analyze the influence of vessel distance and blood flow on lesion volume and shape. 108 ex vivo MWA procedures were performed in freshly harvested pig livers. Antennas were inserted parallel to non-perfused and perfused (700,1400 ml/min) glass tubes (diameter 5mm) at different distances (10, 15, 20mm). Ablation zones (radius, area) were analyzed and compared (Kruskal-Wallis Test, Dunn's multiple comparison Test). Temperature changes adjacent to the tubes were measured throughout the ablation cycle. Maximum temperature decreased significantly with increasing flow and distance (p<0.05). Compared to non-perfused tubes, ablation zones were significantly deformed by perfused tubes within 15 mm distance to the antenna (p<0.05). At a flow rate of 700 ml/min ablation zone radius was reduced to 37.2% and 80.1% at 10 and 15 mm tube distance, respectively; ablation zone area was reduced to 50.5% and 89.7%, respectively. Significant changes of ablation zones were demonstrated in a pig liver model. Considerable heat sink effect was observed within a diameter of 15 mm around simulated vessels, dependent on flow rate. This has to be taken into account when ablating liver lesions close to vessels.