Radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors: A novel needle perfusion technique enhances efficiency

Aims: Usually, the ablation is time-consuming due to charring around the electrodes. We hypothesize that an open saline perfusion might help to overcome this problem and allow faster ablations. Methods: 159 liver tumors were treated during 95 sessions of mainly ultrasound assisted RFA with the same generator and the same expandable RFA-needle.Fifty-four tumors were treated according to the proposed manufacturer's protocol and compared with 105 tumors treated according to the novel saline perfusion protocol. The ablation procedure was performed until a tissue temperature of at least 100°C was reached at every ele…