Bipolar Probes for Radiofrequency Thermotherapy

New bipolar probes for administering radio frequency-induced interstitial thermotherapy (RFITT) provide surgeons with highly accurate and unusually gentle operating instruments for ear, nose, and throat patients, says the developer. RFITT can be used to treat such conditions as obstructive sleep apnea, nasal polyps, and to serve as palliative tumor therapy in the head and neck regions.

The bipolar RF electrode configuration limits the flow of current to the tip of the probe, enabling tissue to be treated with greater care and speed than in conventional thermotechnology. In contrast to monopolar RF techniques, which can cause irreversible damage to peripheral tissue by overheating, only the tissue in the immediate vicinity of the bipolar probe is exposed to the electric current.

In the treatment of nasal concha hyperplasia, for example, controlled regions of coagulation are generated within the concha with no risk of damaging the ciliated epithelium. In this process, the bipolar probe longitudinally pierces the hyperplastic nasal concha of the patient under local anesthesia. Activation of the generator produces a current in the probe, resulting in precise coagulation of the pathologic tissue in only three to five seconds. An acoustic feedback on the generator signals the degree of coagulation, culminating in an acoustic stop signal. This self-regulating property excludes any overdose or carbonizing effects in the treated tissue.

The RFITT system, under the name CelonENT, was developed by Celon AG (Berlin, Germany).



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