Radiofrequency Cauterization: An Alternative to Reduce Post-biopsy Hemorrhage

Radiofrequency cauterization with biopsy introducer needle.

PURPOSE The principal risks of needle biopsy are hemorrhage and implantation of tumor cells in the needle tract. This study compared hemorrhage after liver and kidney biopsy with and without radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the needle tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS Biopsies of liver and kidney were performed in swine through introducer needles modified to allow RF ablation with the distal 2 cm o...

Is Radiofrequency Ablation an Alternative to Thyroidectomy?

A biopsy tool with integrated piezoceramic elements for needle tract cauterization and cauterization monitoring.

This paper reports the feasibility of biopsy needle tract cauterization and cauterization monitoring using an embedded array of piezoceramic microheaters. Circular heaters of lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5A), with 200 μm diameter and 70-80 μm thickness, are fabricated using a batch mode micro ultrasonic machining process. These are then assembled into cavities in the walls of 20-gauge stainless...

Cryobiopsy: An alternative technique to conventional shave biopsy.

To the Editor: Skin biopsies usually require local anesthetic (LA). LA can cause pain and distress especially in needle phobic individuals. Cryobiopsy is an alternative to shave biopsy under LA, in that it enables the removal of a fragment of tissue without the need for LA. In this study, we assessed the level of pain in patients undergoing skin cryobiopsy as well as the tissue usefulness for h...

An audit of primary post partum hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Its causes & risk factors are important for its prevention and management. Poor, unhealthy, high parity women delivering away from health facility are usual victims. The purpose of this study is to determine causes of PPH, risk factors, preventable factors and to assess treatment measures a...