Ablation of tumors is a powerful way of fighting cancers, but it can be very difficult to destroy target tissue without also cooking away a good deal of the healthy material around. Different types of tissues are affected by RF energy in different ways, so it’s been difficult to achieve high precision during ablations. This is a serious complication, causing all sorts of side effects for patients and limiting cases where safe ablation is possible.
Now Covidien is releasing the Emprint Ablation System with Thermosphere Technology that predicts the effects of energy delivered to the target tissue and helps physicians improve their aim. The system is intended for work on soft tissue such as the liver, lungs, and kidneys. It features spatial energy control for thermal, field, and wavelength parameters, allowing the creation of predictable spheres within which all life will cease “regardless of target location, tissue type, or changes in tissue properties during a procedure,” according to the company.
Product page: Emprint Ablation System…
Press release: Covidien Makes Liver Tumor Ablation More Predictable…