Oxidative and pre-inflammatory stress in wedge resection of pulmonary parenchyma using the radiofrequency ablation technique in a swine model

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a thermal energy delivery system used for coagulative cellular destruction of small tumors through percutaneous or intraoperative application of its needle electrode to the target area, and for assisting partial resection of liver and kidney. We tried to evaluate the regional oxidative and pre-inflammatory stress of RFA-assisted wedge lung resection, by measuring the MDA and tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) concentration in the resected lung tissue of a swine model. METHOD Fourteen white male swines, divided in two groups, the RFA-group and the control group (C-group) underwent a small left thoracotomy and wedge lung resection of the lingula. The wedge resection in the RFA-group was performed using the RFA technique whereas in C-group the simple "cut and sew" method was performed. We measured the malondialdehyde (MDA) and TNF-α concentration in the resected lung tissue of both groups. RESULTS In C-group the MDA mean deviation rate was 113 ± 42.6 whereas in RFA-group the MDA mean deviation rate was significantly higher 353 ± 184 (p = 0.006). A statistically significant increase in TNF-α levels was also observed in the RFA-group (5.25 ± 1.36) compared to C-group (mean ± SD = 8.48 ± 2.82) (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION Our data indicate that RFA-assisted wedge lung resection in a swine model increases regional MDA and TNF-a factors affecting by this oxidative and pre-inflammatory stress of the procedure. Although RFA-assisted liver resection can be well tolerated in humans, the possible use of this method to the lung has to be further investigated in terms of regional and systemic reactions and the feasibility of performing larger lung resections.