Sheng Chieh Huang

Electromagnetic thermoablation to treat thrombocytopenia in cirrhotic and hypersplenic rats

Background and Aim:  Thrombocytopenia due to hypersplenism is usually a serious condition in cirrhotic patients who have undergone invasive procedures. We designed a new treatment method using a high‐frequency alternating electromagnetic force to treat the disease condition in a rat model.

Dual-Row Needle Arrays Under an Electromagnetic Thermotherapy System for Bloodless Liver Resection Surgery

Electromagnetic thermotherapy has been extensively investigated recently and may become a new surgical modality for a variety of medical applications. It applies a high-frequency alternating magnetic field to heat up magnetic materials inserted within the human body to generate tissue coagulation or cell apoptosis. Using a new procedure with dual-row needle arrays under an electromagnetic thermotherapy system with a feedback temperature control system, this study demonstrates bloodless porcine liver resection, which is challenging using existing methods. In vitro experiments showed that hollowed, stainless-steel needles could be heated up to more than 300°C within 30 s when centered under the induction coils of the electromagnetic thermotherapy system. In order to generate a wide ablation zone and to prevent the dual-row needle arrays from sticking to the tissue after heating, a constant temperature of 120°C was applied using a specific treatment protocol. The temperature distribution in the porcine livers was also measured to explore the effective coagulation area. Liver resection was then performed in Lan-Yu pigs. Experimental results showed that seven pigs underwent liver resection without bleeding during surgery and no complications afterward. The dual-row needle arrays combined with the electromagnetic thermotherapy system are thus shown to be promising for bloodless tissue resection.

Electromagnetic thermal surgery system for liver resection: An animal study

Purpose: Electromagnetic thermal surgery is a new technique. It applies an electrical current through coils to generate a high frequency magnetic field to heat up magnetic materials in the targeted area. Using this technique, we aim to perform liver resection without bleeding in rats and rabbits. Materials and methods: The electromagnetic machine can produce a high frequency magnetic field, with an input of 220 V-55 A-60 Hz, an output frequency of 62.1 kHz, and a power of 2.2 kW. The magnetic materials used in this study were fine needles made of stainless steel. For ex vivo experiments, we used porcine liver explants; in the animal model, sixteen Sprague-Dawley rats and seven New Zealand White rabbits were used. We inserted one needle array along the attempted resection lines and then used the magnetic coils to heat up the needles for three min. After heating, we resected the designated liver portions using surgical scalpels. Results: In the ex vivo test, the fine needles were heated up effectively to achieve tissue coagulation (more than 90°C). In the animal model the liver resection was performed without bleeding and no bile peritonitis was observed after the surgery. All animals were alive after the surgery until the end of the experiment (30 days). Conclusions: The experiments showed that our thermal surgery system is very effective in performing bloodless liver resection without further ligation or embolisation needed. Our technique is new and the system has great potential to develop into clinical practice.

Electromagnetic Thermotherapy System With Needle Arrays: A Practical Tool for the Removal of Cancerous Tumors

Thermotherapy has been a promising method to treat tumor. In recent years, electromagnetic thermotherapy (EMT) has been extensively investigated and holds the potential for a variety of medical applications including for cancer treatment when combined with minimally invasive surgery approach. In this study, an alternating electromagnetic frequency was provided by an EMT system to heat up stainless steel needle arrays which were inserted into the target tumor to a high temperature, therefore leading to local ablation of the tumor. A new two-section needle-array apparatus was further demonstrated to encompass the tumor to prevent the tumor cells to spread after the treatment process. By using the needle-array insertion apparatus, there is no limitation of the treatment area; this method could, therefore, be applied for tumors that are larger than 6 cm. It was first successfully demonstrated in the in vitro experiments on porcine livers. Then an in vivo experiment was directly conducted on pigs. The two-section needle array incorporated with the needle-array apparatus and EMT was demonstrated to be promising for no-touch isolation treatment of cancerous tumors.

Partial Nephrectomy Without Renal Ischemia Using an Electromagnetic Thermal Surgery System in a Porcine Model

OBJECTIVE To test the feasibility of partial nephrectomy using needle arrays under alternating current (AC) electromagnetic field without renal artery clamping. METHODS We performed an experimental study for partial nephrectomy without renal artery clamping in a porcine model, comparing a new thermal surgery system consisting of an AC electromagnetic field generator and stainless steel needle arrays (using 10 pigs) vs an ultrasonic Harmonic Scalpel (on 8 pigs). Two cm of the upper pole of the kidneys were resected, and then the feasibility, operation time, blood loss, biochemical parameters, pathology, and complications were observed for 14 days. RESULTS There was no difference by weight in the mean percentage of kidney removed between the 2 groups (8.1 ± 3.4% vs 12.7 ± 5.5%). The estimated blood loss for the partial nephrectomy with electromagnetic thermal surgery system was significantly less compared to the ultrasonic Harmonic Scalpel (53.0 ± 73.0 vs 188.8 ± 49.3 mL). Transection time was shorter with the electromagnetic thermal surgery system (10 vs 12 minutes). Bleeding from the cut surface after partial nephrectomy was noted in 2 pigs (electromagnetic surgery group) and 8 pigs (control group); all the bleeding was controlled with additional monopolar electrocoagulation and sutures. No urinoma was identified in either group when a second laparotomy was performed 2 weeks later. CONCLUSION Our study of a partial nephrectomy in a porcine model demonstrates that the heat generated by the electromagnetic thermal surgery system is sufficient to coagulate renal parenchyma and to seal off the blood vessels without pedicle clamping.

Hemostasis Plug for an Electromagnetic Thermotherapy and Its Application for Liver Laceration

Accident-induced liver trauma is a significant human health concern, as this organ is readily injured during periods at which the abdominal region is compromised. In this work, electromagnetic thermotherapy was successfully developed and employed in vitro and in vivo to treat livers that had been lacerated. Briefly, a new hemostasis plug was integrated with an electromagnetic thermotherapy system (ETS) to perform surgery on lacerated livers. The high-frequency, alternating electromagnetic field (EMF) was generated by the ETS and was shown to induce a pre-set temperature increase within the hemostasis plug embedded in the target tissue. In order to prevent overheating and maintain a constant hemostasis temperature, a temperature feedback control system was utilized. The effect of the intensity of the EMF on the heating capacity of the ETS-hemostasis system was first explored. Furthermore, the relationship between the coagulation zone and operating temperature were investigated in vitro. By utilizing the temperature feedback control system, the hemostasis plug could be heated to a specific temperature for efficient hemostasis. With this approach, the optimal treatment temperature and time were investigated for liver laceration. Lacerated livers from New Zealand white rabbits were successfully treated with the hemostasis plug and ETS within a short period of time. When compared with the traditional perihepatic packing approach, the volume of blood loss from liver laceration surgeries treated by ETS has been dramatically reduced by 83%, suggesting a high therapeutic potential for this system.

Electromagnetic thermotherapy for deep organ ablation by using a needle array under a synchronized-coil system

Thermal ablation by using electromagnetic thermotherapy (EMT) has been a promising cancer modality in recent years. It has relatively few side effects and has therefore been extensively investigated for a variety of medical applications in internal medicine and surgery. The EMT system applies a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic field to heat up the needles which are inserted into the target tumor to cause tumor ablation. In this study, a new synchronized-coil EMT system was demonstrated, which was equipped with two synchronized coils and magnetic field generators to provide a long-range, penetrated electromagnetic field to effectively heat up the needles. The heating effect of the needles at the center of the two coils was first explored. The newly designed two-section needle array combined with the synchronized-coil EMT system was thus demonstrated in the in vitro and in vivo animal experiments. Experimental data showed that the developed system is promising for minimally invasive surgery since it might provide superior performance for thermotherapy in cancer treatment.

A NEW INDUCTIVE THERMOTHERAPY SYSTEM FOR MINIMAL INVASIVE SURGERY IN SPLENOMEGALY

Splenomegaly is an enlargement of the spleen, which usually causes infectious mononucleosis and portal hypertension. In this study, a new inductive thermotherapy system for minimal invasive surgery (MIS) was reported for treatment of splenomegaly. It can generate a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic field to induce a localized temperature increase by inserting a two-part needle into the spleen. To prevent the overheating, a temperature feedback control system was developed such that the treatment can be operated at a safe and effective temperature. The relationship between the coagulation zone and the operating temperature/time was first explored. Then Lan-Yu pigs’ spleen under the ultrasonic guidance was heated by using the developed system. The experiments showed that the developed electromagnetic thermotherapy system can successfully cause the atrophy of the spleen, which is very promising for further clinical use.

High Frequency Electromagnetic Thermotherapy for Cancer Treatment

Background/Aim: Electromagnetic thermotherapy is a new modality for cancer treatment. It applies a highfrequency electrical current to generate a magnetic field and heat up magnetic materials for treating targeted cancers. Using such system, we treat big tumors (more than 1.5 cm in diameter) in a colon cancer bearing murine model.

Liver Resection Using High Frequency Electromagnetic Thermotherapy

Background/Aim: Electromagnetic thermotherapy is a new modality for surgery. It applies a high-frequency electrical current passing through coils to generate a high-frequency magnetic field to heat up magnetic materials for treating targeted tissue. Using such a system, we aim to perform resection of rabbit liver without bleeding.