An individually-controlled multi-tined expandable electrode using active-cannula-based shape morphing for on-demand conformal radiofrequency ablation lesions

Being minimally invasive and highly effective, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is widely used for small size malignant tumors treatment. However, in clinical practice, a large number of tumors are found in irregular shape, while the current RFA devices are hard to control their morphologic appearance of RFA lesions on demand, which usually ends up excessively ablating the tissues and often brings excessively irreversible damage to the organs’ functions. Here, we introduce active cannulas for each of individually-controlled sub-electrodes to achieve an on-demand shape morphing and thus conformal RFA lesion. The shape as well as the length of inserted sub-electrode can be precisely controlled by tuning the expanded length of the active stylet and relative position of the active cannula. Furthermore, owing to independent movement and energy control of each sub-electrodes, our electrode is shown to be not only efficient enough to accomplish accurate trajectory to target tissue in a single insertion, but also adaptive enough to ablate target tissues with diverse morphologic appearances and locations. Potentially, our RFA electrode is a better choice in the future clinical practice for minimally invasive treatments of malignant tumors of which preferred treatment is conformal ablation. Corresponding author(s) Email: [email protected]

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Hybrid Telecoaching for Corporate Speech Training and Potential Applications to Clinical Practice

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_pers-sig3-2018-0012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 322-324

Author(s):

Thomas F. Burke

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Engineering Teams ◽

Corporate Strategies ◽

Corporate Speech ◽

Phone Calls ◽

Future Clinical Practice ◽

Fortune 100 ◽

Potential Applications ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Development Engineering

Purpose The purpose of this article was to describe a model for “hybrid speech telecoaching” developed for a Fortune 100 organization and offer a “thought starter” on how clinicians might think of applying these corporate strategies within future clinical practice. Conclusion The author contends in this article that corporate telecommunications and best practices gleaned from software development engineering teams can lend credibility to e-mail, messaging apps, phone calls, or other emerging technology as viable means of hybrid telepractice delivery models and offer ideas about the future of more scalable speech-language pathology services.

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A CT-free protocol to treat osteoid osteoma of the hip region in childhood and adolescence by percutaneous drilling and by hip arthroscopy

Hip International ◽

10.1177/1120700021996269 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 112070002199626

Author(s):

Oliver Eberhardt ◽

Thekla von Kalle ◽

Rebecca Matthis ◽

Richard Doepner ◽

Thomas Wirth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Hip Joint ◽

Hip Arthroscopy ◽

Standard Form ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Ct Guided ◽

Contrast Enhanced ◽

Mri Guided ◽

Mri Diagnostics

Introduction: It is often difficult to clinically and radiologically diagnose intra-articular osteoid osteomas and osteoid osteomas of the hip joint. Treatment can also be difficult due to complex locational relationships. CT-guided radiofrequency ablation is currently the standard form of treatment. In this paper we report on a minimally-invasive concept for treating osteoid osteomas near the hip joint in children and adolescents which does not involve using computed tomography. Material and method: 10 patients with an average age of 12.1 years underwent treatment for osteoid osteomas in the hip joint region. The diagnosis was made using a contrast-enhanced MRI. The osteoid osteomas were marked percutaneously using x-ray and MRI guidance. MRI-guided drilling/curettage was performed in 4 cases and arthroscopic resection in 6 cases. Results: All lesions were successfully treated using the MRI-guided method. All patients were free of pain after the treatment. There was no instance of recurrence during the follow-up period, which averaged 10 months. The effective dose for marking the lesion was between 0.0186 mSv and 0.342 mSV (mean 0.084 mSV). Conclusions: Our MRI diagnostics protocol, the MRI-guided drilling and the minimally invasive hip arthroscopy represent an alternative to CT-guided radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of osteoid osteomas. Radiation exposure can thereby be significantly reduced. Hip arthroscopy can also be used to treat secondary pathologies such as femoroacetabular impingement.

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Liquid Biopsy in Pancreatic Cancer: Are We Ready to Apply It in the Clinical Practice?

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13081986 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1986

Author(s):

Victoria Heredia-Soto ◽

Nuria Rodríguez-Salas ◽

Jaime Feliu

Keyword(s):

Pancreatic Cancer ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Early Diagnosis ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Liquid Biopsy ◽

Genetic Material ◽

Current Status ◽

Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽

Disease Monitoring ◽

Global Status

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits the poorest prognosis of all solid tumors, with a 5-year survival of less than 10%. To improve the prognosis, it is necessary to advance in the development of tools that help us in the early diagnosis, treatment selection, disease monitoring, evaluation of the response and prognosis. Liquid biopsy (LB), in its different modalities, represents a particularly interesting tool for these purposes, since it is a minimally invasive and risk-free procedure that can detect both the presence of genetic material from the tumor and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood and therefore distantly reflect the global status of the disease. In this work we review the current status of the main LB modalities (ctDNA, exosomes, CTCs and cfRNAs) for detecting and monitoring PDAC.

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Minimally Invasive Treatment of Metastatic Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma: Efficacy and Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoablation Therapy

Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology ◽

10.1016/j.jvir.2011.06.016 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 22 (9) ◽

pp. 1263-1270 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Jeremy F. McBride ◽

Thomas D. Atwell ◽

William J. Charboneau ◽

William F. Young ◽

Thomas C. Wass ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Minimally Invasive Treatment ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

Invasive Treatment

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Minimally Invasive Therapies for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: the Current Status of Bioinjectables/New Devices (Adjustable Continence Therapy, Urethral Submucosal Collagen Denaturation by Radiofrequency)

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2009.53 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 466-478 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Simone Crivellaro ◽

John J. Smith

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Urinary Incontinence ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Stress Urinary Incontinence ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Emerging Technologies ◽

Current Status ◽

Female Stress Urinary Incontinence ◽

Salvage Procedure ◽

Collagen Denaturation

The aim of this review is to provide an update on the current status of evolving minimally invasive therapies for stress urinary incontinence. Bioinjectables have been available for some time and their current status is reviewed. The adjustable continence device has been used as a salvage procedure for females for a number of years in clinical trials, yet many are unfamiliar with it. Lastly, radiofrequency via a transurethral route has also been utilized in small numbers and will be updated. These later two emerging technologies need further exposure to better define their role in our clinical practice.

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