Feasibility and safety of cryoablation on the porcine ureter using a new balloon cryoprobe

Abstract

Cryoablation, as a well-characterized technology, has multifarious clinical applications. But few are reported on ureteral endometriosis. Thus, we examined the feasibility and safety of cryotherapy with a novel balloon cryoprobe on ureter in a live porcine model. During the freezing and thawing cycle, temperature was recorded in different parts of the ureter in real-time. Two-minute cryoablation could induce necrosis within range in 1 cm diameter on serosa layer. The temperature respectively dropped to −136.5 °C, −96.1 °C and −17.5 °C at the cryotherapy center, 1 cm and 1.5 cm from center on serosal side. The ureters were harvested immediately, 2 weeks or 3 months after cryotherapy. No perforation, stricture, adhesions, or hydronephrosis was observed. Histopathologic representations of ureters after cryoablation indicated that full thickness necroses of ureters were seen in all samples. The results demonstrated ureteral cryoablation using a novel balloon probe was feasible, safe, and effective. These findings provided us reference before cryoablation could be applied in clinical practice in treating ureteral endometriosis.