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. 2022 Aug;89(3):329-337.
doi: 10.1177/03915603221077590. Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Irreversible electroporation in renal tumours: A systematic review of safety and early oncological outcomes

Aidan Hilton  1 , Georgios Kourounis  1   2 , Fanourios Georgiades  3
Affiliations

Irreversible electroporation in renal tumours: A systematic review of safety and early oncological outcomes

Aidan Hilton et al. Urologia. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

We review the safety and early oncological outcomes of irreversible electroporation (IRE), a novel non-thermal ablation technique, in small renal masses (SRMs). Following PROSPERO registration (CRD42020197943), a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases according to PRISMA guidelines was performed. Critical appraisal of the included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Of 224 articles screened, 10 met the inclusion criteria. In total, 83 patients were identified. Except for one cohort study (n = 41), the remaining studies were case series of n < 10. Follow up was <12 months in 7/10 articles (range 3-34 months). About 10/10 articles reported safety outcomes. There were no 30-day mortalities. The most frequently reported adverse events were transient haematuria (11/83) and asymptomatic perirenal haematomas (7/83). About 62/63 patients with reported length of stay were discharged within 24 h. No significant long-term changes in renal function were reported. About 7/10 articles reported oncological outcomes. Only one article assessed histopathological outcomes, whilst the remaining studies used cross-sectional imaging modalities to assess efficacy, recurrence or disease progression. About 4/7 patients with histopathology outcomes, showed complete response (CR). About 43/55 patients with radiological outcomes showed CR. No mortalities were reported due to SRMs. These initial findings support IRE as safe and feasible in managing SRMs. However, results from larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate oncological outcomes and compare these with other ablation methods.

Keywords: Irreversible electroporation; feasibility studies; kidney neoplasms; nanoknife; renal cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA flow diagram showing the articles included and excluded at each stage of the assessment process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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