Radiofrequency and microwave tumor ablation in patients with implanted cardiac devices: Is it safe?

Purpose To identify malfunction of implanted cardiac devices during or after thermal ablation of tumors in lung, kidney, liver or bone, using radiofrequency (RF) or microwave (MW) energy. Materials and methods After providing written consent, 19 patients (15 men and 4 women; mean age 78 years) with pacemakers or pacemaker/defibrillators underwent 22 CT image-guided percutaneous RF or MW ablation of a variety of tumors. Before and after each procedure, cardiac devices were interrogated and reprogrammed by a trained cardiac electrophysiology fellow. Possible pacer malfunctions included abnormalities on electrocardiographic (EKG) monitoring and alterations in device settings. Our institutional review board approved this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study. Informed consent for participation in this retrospective study was deemed unnecessary by our review board. Results During 20 of 22 sessions, no abnormalities were identified in continuous, EKG tracings or pacemaker functions. However, in two sessions significant changes, occurred in pacemaker parameters: inhibition of pacing during RF application in one, session and resetting of mode by RF energy in another session. These changes did not, result in hemodynamic instability of either patient. MW ablation was not associated with, any malfunction. In all 22 sessions, pacemakers were undamaged and successfully reset to original parameters. Conclusion RF or MW ablation of tumors in liver, kidney, bone and lung can be performed safely in patients with permanent intra-cardiac devices, but careful planning between radiology and cardiology is essential to avoid adverse outcomes.