Computer modeling of radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) using the recording intracerebral electrodes implanted for stereo electroencephalography (SEEG) monitoring

COLLAVINI, SANTIAGO; PEREZ, JUAN; BEJARANO, ENRIQUE; FERNANDEZ CORAZZA, MARIANO; ODDO, SILVIA; IRASTORZA, RAMIRO

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXIV CONGRESO ARGENTINO DE BIOINGENIERÍA Y XIII JORNADAS DE INGENIERÍA CLÍNICA; 2023

Our objective was to use computational modelingto provide a full and comprehensible physical description of the electrical andthermal behavior during electroencephalography-guided radiofrequencythermocoagulation (SEEG-RF-TC), a minimally invasive procedure to destroyepileptic foci in the brain. We used the Finite Element Method to solve acoupled electrical-thermal problem and obtain the temperature distributions inthe tissue for a constant power thermocoagulation. We found that 5 W provokesan impedance roll-off (abrupt increase) after approximately 10 s, and that thisis related to temperatures of 100 ºC in the surroundings of the contacts. Dueto the internal resistance associated with the wires of the electrode,self-heating provoked a temperature increase of up to 3.3 ºC throughout thedevice. Our findings should alert clinicians who are guided by impedance duringSEEG-RF-TC regarding overheating associated with roll-off. The self-heating(approximately 3ºC) occurring along the electrode should also be taken intoaccount as it could provoke thermal side-effects.