To investigate the efficacy and serviceability of a novel bipolar radiofrequency biopsy needle for hemostasis after hepatic core needle biopsy by comparing it with gelatin sponge packing.

Ultrasound-guided 16 G biopsy was performed on the four liver lobes of five pigs. First, the bleeding volume and bleeding time after biopsy were recorded without hemostasis. Subsequently, at 1 cm beside each puncture point, puncture biopsy was performed again, and a bipolar radiofrequency biopsy needle and gelatin sponge were used to stop bleeding. The bipolar radiofrequency biopsy needle used three sets of parameters: the output power and temperature of the needle action area were 40 W and 70 ℃, 30 W and 90 ℃, and 40 W and 90 ℃, respectively. Operation time, post-biopsy bleeding volume, and bleeding duration were recorded. The differences in these indicators between the experimental group and control group were compared using the Tukey-Kramer post hoc test.

The average operation time of the gelatin sponge group and the radiofrequency group with different ablation parameters was (172.00±28.87) s, (11.40±0.75) s, (12.20±0.80) s, and (10.00±0.84) s, respectively. The operation time of the radiofrequency group was significantly shorter than that of the gelatin sponge group (P=0.005 for all; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.793-239.407, 79.085-240.51, and 79.998-244.002, respectively). However, the bleeding volume and bleeding time of all hemostatic operations were significantly lower than those of the adjacent non-hemostatic needle tracts (bleeding volume: P=0.003, =0.001, <0.001, and =0.001, respectively; 95%CI: 12.339-31.309 g, 15.9-31.964 g, 20.331-31.145 g, and 16.718-32.318 g, respectively; bleeding time: P=0018, 0.003, 0.004, and 0.003, 95% CI: 22.6-135.0 s, 44.4-108.4 s, 482.-135.8 s, and 56.5-147.4 s, respectively). There was no significant difference in bleeding volume or bleeding time between the gelatin sponge group and the radiofrequency group with different ablation parameters (P>0.05).

Porcine hepatic core needle biopsy can be safely performed via the bipolar radiofrequency biopsy needle under ultrasound guidance, which can achieve the same hemostatic effect as gelatin sponge packing, suggesting that it may have potential clinical applications.