Feasibility of a Modified Biopsy Needle for Irreversible Electroporation Ablation and Periprocedural Tissue Sampling

IGBT-Based Pulsed Electric Fields Generator for Disinfection: Design and In Vitro Studies on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Irreversible electroporation of cell membrane with pulsed electric fields is an emerging physical method for disinfection that aims to reduce the doses and volumes of used antibiotics for wound healing. Here we report on the design of the IGBT-based pulsed electric field generator that enabled eradication of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 on the gel. Using a concentric electric configuration we determined that the lower threshold of the electric field required to kill P. aeruginosa PAO1 was 89.28 ± 12.89 V mm^-1, when 200 square pulses of 300 µs duration are delivered at 3 Hz. These parameters disinfected 38.14 ± 0.79 mm² area around the single needle electrode. This study provides a step towards the design of equipment required for multidrug-resistant bacteria disinfection in patients with pulsed electric fields.

Percutaneous Microwave versus Radiofrequency Ablation of Colorectal Liver Metastases: Ablation with Clear Margins (A0) Provides the Best Local Tumor Control

PURPOSE

To identify and compare predictors of local tumor progression (LTP)-free survival (LTPFS) after radiofrequency (RF) ablation and microwave (MW) ablation of colorectal liver metastases (CLMs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective review of CLMs ablated from November 2009 to April 2015 (110 patients). Margins were measured on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) 6 weeks after ablation. Clinical and technical predictors of LTPFS were assessed using a competing risk model adjusted for clustering.

RESULTS

Technique effectiveness (complete ablation) was 93% (79/85) for RF ablation and 97% (58/60) for MW ablation (P = .47). The median follow-up period was significantly longer for RF ablation than for MW ablation (56 months vs. 29 months) (P < .001). There was no difference in the local tumor progression (LTP) rates between RF ablation and MW ablation (P = 0.84). Significant predictors of shorter LTPFS for RF ablation on univariate analysis were ablation margins 5 mm or smaller (P < .001) (hazard ratio [HR]: 14.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.2-40.9) and perivascular tumors (P = .021) (HR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.3); both retained significance on multivariate analysis. Significant predictors of shorter LTPFS on univariate analysis for MW ablation were ablation margins 5 mm or smaller (P < .001) (subhazard ratio: 11.6; 95% CI: 3.1-42.7) and no history of prior liver resection (P < .013) (HR: 3.2; 95%: 1.3-7.8); both retained significance on multivariate analysis. There was no LTP for tumors ablated with margins over 10 mm (median LTPFS: not reached). Perivascular tumors were not predictive for MW ablation (P = .43).

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of the thermal ablation modality used, margins larger than 5 mm are critical for local tumor control, with no LTP noted for margins over 10 mm. Unlike RF ablation, the efficiency of MW ablation was not affected for perivascular tumors.