US-guided application of a new hybrid probe in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma: an ex vivo study.

Background: Ablative therapies such as radiofrequency and cryotechnology are widely used in oncological intervention but not in the pancreatic field because of their high operative risks. A new flexible bipolar ablation device (Cryotherm probe [CTP]) was developed combining radiofrequency and cryotechnology.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the CTP in destroying neoplastic tissue of explanted pancreatic tumors of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Design: Ex vivo clinical study.
Setting: Inpatient hospital setting.
Patients: This study involved 16 explanted pancreatic tumors from 16 patients.
Interventions: CTP application was performed on explanted pancreatic tumors. Anatomic specimens were divided into 4 groups; each group received a predefined application time of 120 to 600 seconds.
Main Outcome Measurements: The coagulation diameter (short axis) perpendicular to the device's longitudinal axis was used as the primary outcome measure.
Results: All pancreatic specimens showed histological signs of coagulative necrosis. There was a positive correlation between the short axis of the obtained necrosis and duration of application (r = 0.74).
Limitations: This study was an ex vivo study with all limitations typical of this kind of study.
Conclusions: The CTP is effective in destroying neoplastic pancreatic tissue, creating an ablation zone, the extent of which is related to the duration of application.
(Copyright 2010 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)