Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided laser ablation (LA) has been recently investigated for the treatment of pancreatic tumor. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of EUS-guided LA in porcine pancreatic tissue to treat pancreatic tumor ablation with minimal thermal injury to adjacent tissue. A 1064-nm Nd: YAG laser was applied to both ex vivo and in vivo porcine pancreatic tissue through a diffusing applicator. Overall, coagulation diameter increased linearly with the applied power without carbonization and fiber degradation on ex vivo tests (i.e., R² = 0.87). The diffusing applicator created a uniformly symmetrical laser ablation in pancreatic tissue. In vivo tests with EUS confirmed easy insertion and high durability of the diffusing applicator. The proposed EUS-guided diffusing LA can be a feasible therapeutic approach to effectively treat pancreatic tumor with predictable thermal ablation and enhanced safety.

© 2021 The Author(s)