Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Technique
This is an ablation technique by creating very high temperature inside malignant lesions. This method has led to highly valuable results in medicine and therapy, and it can be used in the treatment of liver, lung, bone, breast, etc.
How This Surgery is Performed
In this method, special RF needle electrodes will be inserted into the lung tumor under CT scan guidance. The living cancerous cells are ablated at the site by getting connected to the radiofrequency generator and heating.
Priority of RFA Over Surgery
In case where lung lesions may be inaccessible and surgery has no good results for the patient, the most appropriate treatment is the radiofrequency ablation of lung lesions.
The Cases Where Radiofrequency Ablation Surgery is Recommended
If the number of lesions in the lungs is limited (less than 5 lesions per lung) and they are small (less than 5 cm), good results can be achieved from this surgery.
Duration of the Surgery
Depending on the number of lesions, this surgery takes almost 1 to 2 hours. After the operation, the patient will be controlled 2 to 4 hours and, then, he/she will be discharged.
Anesthesia During the Surgery
This surgery requires anesthesia because these tumors will be ablated with microwave at a temperature above 90-105ºC, and this temperature cannot be tolerated. Thus, it requires anesthesia.
Preparation For the Surgery
– Patients should be fasting about 4 to 6 hours before the surgery.
– Having one companion is necessary for doing the patients works.
– Having the patients medical records (CT scan, MRI) and liver and blood coagulation tests is necessary.
– Taking shower and shaving the chest and thighs is necessary.
The necessary examinations before the surgery
-Your lung function should be examined by a doctor at this clinic.
– If you have heart disease of diabetes, make sure to notify the doctor so that the necessary measures would be taken.
– Before the surgery, it is necessary to run required tests for blood coagulation.
– If you are taking medicines such as Aspirin, Warfarin, and Plavix, make sure to keep your doctor informed.
The possibility of tumor recurrence after the surgery
Tumor ablation does not mean the complete disappearance of the lesion and complete treatment because cancer cells may survive on tumor margins leading to tumor recurrence. Thus, the patient will be examined in the next controls and, in case of recurrence, the tumor will be ablated again.
Post-Operative Hospitalization
This surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis and the patient will be discharged in 2 to 4 hours.
Depending on the patients condition, he/she may require hospitalization for 24 hours, which will be performed if necessary.
Post-Operative Bed Rest
After this surgery, you feel weakness, lethargy, anorexia, fever and, in some cases, pain in the shoulder area. These symptoms mat last for 10 days. So you will need to take rest for 7 to 10 days.
Evaluation of Surgery Results
If there is no particular problem, you should attend the clinic 3 months after the surgery for check-up and the next control.
The Number Of the Required Surgery Sessions
The number of sessions will be determined according to the number and size of lung tumors because, in each session, only 2 to 3 lesions can be ablated using the microwave technique.
Microwave Impact in Preventing Tumor Growth
It depends on the patients admission time. If the size and number of lesions at the time of admission are not excessive, the surgery result will be desirable and highly effective in controlling the disease.
Necessary Coordination For Performing the Surgery
By attending Pardis Noor Intervention Clinic and consulting with our intervention specialists, you can make an appointment for the surgery and get prepared for it.
Substitution for surgery
When performing a surgery is impossible for various reasons
Reduction of tumor size to help chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Chest pain relief in cases where the tumor has caused pain
Fewer invasions to the patients body, resulting in fewer side effects
Helping the patients with tumor involvement in both lungs where and operation is impossible
Preservation of lung function, especially in patients with respiratory problems
Repeatability of the surgery in the event of tumor recurrence or cancer cells remaining in the tumor margin
Removing the central parts of the tumor, while these parts do not respond well to radiotherapy
Short recovery time compared to other methods
Rapid recovery of the patient and the possibility for beginning chemotherapy immediately after the surgery
No incision on the skin