Extract
COPD is characterised by the destruction of lung tissue resulting in alveolar tissue destruction, enlargement of alveolar spaces, poor gas exchange and airway collapse due to the loss of elastic recoil [1]. Lung volume reduction surgery is effective in reducing long-term morbidity and mortality of patients with severe emphysema who have a predominance of upper lobe disease and are able to tolerate the surgical procedure [2, 3]. However, the financial cost and the perioperative morbidity and mortality of the procedure have limited its application in clinical practice [4, 5]. Here, we investigated the possibility of using external radiofrequency (RF) as a novel extracorporeal treatment for emphysema in a rat model of unilateral emphysema.
Abstract
External percutaneous application of radiofrequency (RF) energy improved lung compliance by selectively heating emphysematous tissues and inducing mild fibrosis. RF treatment is a potential novel therapy for extracorporeal treatment of pulmonary emphysema. https://bit.ly/2ZbWgSk
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: T. Wada reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: J-E. Jaw reports grants from MITACS (joint application with Ikomed), during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: M. Tsuruta reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: K. Moritani reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: M. Tsutsui reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: A. Tam has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: D.M. Vasilescu has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C.Y. Cheung reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: K. Yamasaki reports grants from Ikomed and MITACS, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: S. Lichtenstein has a patent Method for selectively heating tissue issued to Ikomed Technologies Inc., and is a founder and an investor in Ikomed Technologies Inc.
Conflict of interest: L. Machan is an investor in Ikomed Technologies.
Conflict of interest: D. Gelbart has a patent 8444635 licensed to Ikomed.
Conflict of interest: S.P. Man has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: D.D. Sin reports grants from Ikomed, during the conduct of the study; grants from Merck, personal fees for advisory board work from Sanofi-Aventis and Regeneron, grants and personal fees for research from Boehringer Ingelheim, grants and personal fees for lectures and advisory board work from AstraZeneca, personal fees for lectures and advisory board work from Novartis, outside the submitted work.
Support statement: D.D. Sin is supported by a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in COPD and holds the de Lazzari Family Chair at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation; the study was sponsored by Ikomed Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, MITACS and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Funding information for this article has been deposited with the Crossref Funder Registry.
- Received February 23, 2020.
- Accepted May 13, 2020.
- Copyright ©ERS 2020
