External Radiofrequency as a Novel Extracorporeal Therapy for Emphysema.

COPD is characterised by the destruction of lung tissue resulting in alveolar tissue destruction, enlargement of alveolar spaces, poor gas exchange and airway collapse due to the loss of elastic recoil [1]. Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is effective in reducing long term morbidity and mortality of patients with severe emphysema who have a predominance of upper lobe disease and are able to tolerate the surgical procedure [2, 3]. However, the financial cost and the peri-operative morbidity and mortality of the procedure have limited its application in clinical practice [4, 5]. Here, we investigated the possibility of using external radiofrequency (RF) as a novel extracorporeal treatment for emphysema in a rat model of unilateral emphysema. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Wada reports grants from IKOMED, grants from MITACS, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Jaw reports grants from Mitacs (joint application with iKomed), during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Tsuruta reports grants from IKOMED, grants from MITACS, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Moritani reports grants from IKOMED, grants from MITACS, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Tsutsui reports grants from IKOMED, grants from MITACS, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Tam has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Vasilescu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. CHEUNG reports grants from Ikomed, grants from Mitac, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Yamasaki reports grants from IKOMED, grants from MITACS, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Lichtenstein reports In addition, Dr. Lichtenstein has a patent Method for selectively heating tissue issued to Ikomed Technologies Inc and Founder and Investor in Ikomed Technologies Inc.. Conflict of interest: Dr. Machan reports he is an Investor in Ikomed Technologies. Conflict of interest: Dr. Gelbart reports In addition, Dr. Gelbart has a patent 8444635 licensed to Ikomed. Conflict of interest: Dr. Man has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Sin reports grants from IKOMED, during the conduct of the study; grants from Merck, personal fees from Sanofi-Aventis, personal fees from Regeneron, grants and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Novartis, outside the submitted work.