Interventional Radiology
Radiofrequency Ablation
What is radiofrequency ablation? Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally-invasive procedure recently introduced at the Nebraska Medical Center to treat tumors with radiofrequency energy. RFA has been used for many years to treat painful bone growths, destroy nerve fibers and relieve chronic pain, remove small growths from the skin and to stop excessive bleeding during surgery. More recently, the technique has become a standard treatment for inoperable liver tumors and is being studied for treatment of other types of cancer as well including cancer of the lungs, kidneys and bone. RFA is safer than many cancer therapies because it is absorbed by living tissue as simple heat. RFA energy and the heat is generates do not alter the basic chemical structure of the cells.
How is radiofrequency ablation performed?
During RFA, energy is delivered to the tumor through a needle which is inserted into the tumor. When the probe is in place, metal prongs open out to employ radiofrequency energy to the tumor, effectively killing cancer cells. Special sensors determine when the tissue has died and then direct the probes to another part of the tumor. RFA can reliably destroy a small, targeted area of tissue without affecting healthy tissue or structures around the treatment site. If necessary, other tissues or organs can be protected during the procedure by injecting the area with saline which pushes them out of the way.
After RFA, a CAT scan or MRI can determine if the treatment has been successful. If all diseased tissue has bean been destroyed, RFA can usually be repeated. Over time, the dead tissue shrinks and disappears.
Who is a candidate for radiofrequency ablation?
RFA is an alternative option for liver cancer patients who are not candidates for surgery because the cancer has become too widespread. RFA is frequently used in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to improve outcome. The technique can also be applied to cancers of the kidneys and lungs in patients who are poor surgical candidates. The procedure allows you to spare the kidneys or lungs and kill only the tumor. It can also be used as a palliative form of treatment for tumors that are causing pain.
