Nanoknife surgery (irreversible electroporation)

NANOKNIFE® – CUTTING EDGE CANCER TREATMENTWHAT IS A NANOKNIFE PROCEDURE?

The NanoKnife procedure is a type of ablation procedure that uses electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells within the body.

WHY IS NANOKNIFE USED?

The NanoKnife can be used for treatment of inoperable tumours of the liver, pancreas, lungs, kidney and prostate.

HOW DOES A NANOKNIFE WORK?

Two to four electrodes are placed within the cancerous tissue and a series of high voltage, direct current electrical pulses are passed between them. This generates an electric field that causes the formation of pores or defects in the cell membranes leading to cell death.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF NANOKNIFE?

NanoKnife technology is unique, compared to other ablation technologies, because it does not use heat to destroy tumour cells. Too much heat can be risky if the tumour is very close to a main blood vessel. The NanoKnife solves this problem by using focussed electric current to destroy the tumour without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. Research studies have indicated that the median time for disease progression and survival has almost doubled with the NanoKnife treatment of inoperable pancreatic carcinoma.

HOW IS NANOKNIFE USED?

The procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia. After making an incision, two to four thin needles are inserted into the tumour under ultrasound guidance. An electric current is then passed through the needles for about two minutes. The entire procedure may be completed within 45 minutes. Patients are monitored in hospital and discharged home after 5 to 7 days.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF THE NANOKNIFE?

Based on the published data, the NanoKnife procedure is very safe and has a very low complication rate.