A novel bronchoscopic guided non-invasive treatment for lung nodule

Radiofrequencyablation (RFA) is one of the treatment options for lung nodules; however, the need for exact delivery of the rigid metal electrode into the center of the target mass often leads to complications or suboptimal results. To overcome these limitations, we report a novel bronchoscopy-guided atraumatic no-touch RFA procedure that uses a specially designed radiofrequency (RF) conductor balloon catheter (CAROL catheter) and an injectable bronchial electrode based on a medical grade liquid metal (E-GaIn) in porcine lungs. The bronchial electrode injected from the CAROL catheter was able to turn the target-site bronchial air pipe into a temporally multi-tined RF electrode. The mean volume of E-GaIn (bronchial electrode) for each effective CAROL was 0.46 ± 0.47 ml. The ablation results showed highly efficacious and consistent results especially in the peripheral lung. Most bronchial electrodes were also retrieved by either bronchoscopic suction immediately after the procedure or by natural expectoration thereafter. The residual bronchial electrode did not cause any significant safety issues. Our computer simulation model also supported preclinical data.