Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to develop a novel electrode to achieve balance between anastomotic strength and tissue thermal damage for radiofrequency-induced intestinal anastomosis.
Methods: The mechanical properties of the novel electrode were analyzed by finite element method, and then the temperature and thermal damage distribution of intestinal tissue during welding process were analyzed by electric-thermalmechanical multi-field coupled finite element analysis. In ex vivo experiments, the biomechanical strength of anastomotic area was assessed by indexes of tensile force and burst pressure. A thermocouple probe and an infrared thermal imager were used to monitor the temperature and thermal damage of the intestinal tissue in experiments. Furthermore, histopathological examination and transmission electron microscopy observation were used to observe the morphology and microstructure of anastomotic area.
Results: A slightly higher mean biomechanical strength is acquired with the tensile force and burst pressure results increasing from 9.7 ± 1.47 N, 84.0 ± 5.99 mmHg to 11.8 ± 2.01 N, 89.6 ± 6.79 mmHg, respectively, as well as the percentage of necrotic tissue caused by thermal damage decreasing from 89% to 33% for the novel electrode group, with compression force of 20 N, radiofrequency (RF) energy of 120 W and welding duration of 8 s applied to the target regions to achieve anastomosis. Moreover, tightly connected intestinal tissue with collagenic crosslink in the fusion area could be observed by histopathological examination and transmission electron microscopy.
Conclusions: Our study shows that the proposed novel electrode could achieve balance between anastomotic strength and tissue thermal damage for radiofrequency-induced intestinal anastomosis.