Liver Radiofrequency Ablation Using Wirelessly Powered Catheter and Generator

Liver radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive medical procedure where tumors are ablated in the body with electrical current. Current methods of RFA use several cords and wires that complicate the procedure and present the risk of cutting or shorting the circuit if they are damaged. A method for wireless RFA technique has been presented with the use of electromagnetic induction. The transmitting and receiving coil were coupled to resonate at the same frequency to ensure the optimal ablation power output. The receiving coil was connected to two separated electrodes on a catheter which allow the current to flow to the targeted tissue. The prototype system was tested by using an in vivo swine liver which has similar resistive characteristics to the human liver. The experimental ablation was performed with up to 60 W and the tissue around the catheter was heated to temperatures between 62 and 102 degrees Celsius in 60 seconds, resulting in cellular death with a 20-mm ablated spherical volume at a liver tumor target. This proved the feasibility of performing RFA wirelessly with electromagnetic induction.