ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
A novel technique of pulmonary artery banding by means of radiofrequency ablation: An experimental study in rabbits
Fahrettin Uysal1, Tuğberk Akça1, Abdüsselam Genç1, Zehra Avcı Küpeli4, Erencan Özfırat3, Uygur Canatan3, Berfin Uysal5, Işık Şenkaya Sığnak2
1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Türkiye
2Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Türkiye
3Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa, Türkiye
4Department of Pathology, Uludağ University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa, Türkiye
5Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Bursa University of Health Sciences, Bursa City Hospital, Bursa, Türkiye
DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2022.22786
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a novel method of narrowing pulmonary arteries with catheter angiography using radiofrequency energy in rabbits.

Methods: A total of nine New Zealand white rabbits weighing 3.0 to 4.2 kg each were utilized in this experimental study. After the location of pulmonary artery was confirmed by echocardiography and angiography, radiofrequency energy was applied by starting with 5 W energy for the first time and increasing by 5 W, if there was no rupture to a maximum of 20 W. Multiple applications of radiofrequency energy with different durations were performed at different levels of the pulmonary artery. Eight weeks later, surviving rabbits were sacrificed. The pulmonary arteries were removed for histological investigation.

Results: Five rabbits remained alive after the experiment. There was a significant correlation between radiofrequency power and the degree of vessel thickness change in the pulmonary artery. The endothelial integrity of the tunica intima was impaired in all groups and the diameter of vessel was thickened by an average of 3.5 times.

Conclusion: The narrowing of the pulmonary artery using radiofrequency energy was successfully performed in a small sample size of experimental animals in this study.

Keywords : Catheter angiography, pulmonary artery banding, radiofrequency energy
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