We are delighted to present this special issue of The Open Biomedical Engineering (TOBEJ) focused on the current trends in mathematical modeling of high-temperature thermal therapies (ablation therapies). Clinical application and research of these therapies has seen rapid growth in the last decade, particularly for applications of cardiac arrhythmia (cardiac catheter ablation) and cancer treatm...

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for locally advanced cancer of the pancreas appears an attractive proposition. Many Hepatobiliary Surgical Units currently have the equipment and technical expertise for ablation of non-resectable liver tumours and as RFA becomes established in this setting [1], so the concept of thermal ablation for non-resectable tumours is increasingly an accepted component of h...

AIM To assess the insulating effect of a poloxamer 407 (P407)-based gel during microwave ablation of liver adjacent to the diaphragm. METHODS We prepared serial dilutions of P407, and 22.5% (w/w) concentration was identified as suitable for ablation procedures. Subsequently, microwave ablations were performed on the livers of 24 rabbits (gel, saline, control groups, n = 8 in each). The P407 s...

Overview: Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids or myomas) are benign tumors. Since histologic confirmation of the clinical diagnosis is not necessary in most cases, and there is both growth and regression of fibroids, asymptomatic uterine leiomyomas can usually be followed without intervention. Research supports not treating asymptomatic fibroids. Treatments for symptomatic fibroids include medical man...

There are many foreign reports about the endoscopic ablation therapy for Barrett's esophagus. Endoscopic ablation therapy include thermal therapy (electrocoagulation, laser etc.), photodynamic therapy or endoscopic resection and so on. Ablation of Barrett's esophagus by these therapy in combination with adequate acid suppression lead to mucosal replacement by squamous epithelium. But the true v...

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive thermal ablation technique. We conducted a meta-analysis based on eligible studies to assess the efficacy and safety of RFA for treating patients with breast cancer. METHODS A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Eligible studies were clinical trials that assessed RFA in patients with ...

Successful thermal ablation using radiofrequency has been reported in various tumors including liver or kidney tumors. Nonsurgical minimally invasive ablative therapy such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been reported to be a safe and efficient treatment option in managing symptomatic cold thyroid nodules or hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules. Pressure and cosmetic symptoms have been shown t...

There is a sustained interest in using magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry to monitor the radiofrequency ablation of liver tumours as a means of visualizing the progress of the thermal coagulation and deciding the optimal end-point. Despite numerous technical challenges, important progress has been made and demonstrated in animal studies. In addition to MR thermometry, MR can now be used for th...

Antarctica contains some of the most productive regions on Earth for collecting meteorites. These small areas of glacial ice are known as meteorite stranding zones, where upward-flowing ice combines with high ablation rates to concentrate large numbers of englacially transported meteorites onto their surface. However, meteorite collection data shows that iron and stony-iron meteorites are signi...