Safety and Efficacy of Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) when Combined with Pancreatic Resection: Institutional Experience

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

6-2025

Publication Title

HPB

Abstract

Introduction: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has emerged as a nonthermal ablative technique utilized for tumor ablation and margin accentuation in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IRE at our institution to improve overall survival in borderline resectable adenocarcinoma.

Method: This study is a single center, retrospective review of operative cases utilizing irreversible electroporation intraoperatively during surgical intervention for pancreatic adenocarcinoma between 2020-2024.

Results: Twenty-three patients with an average age of 68 years (SD +/- 7.9 years) and an ECOG of 0-2, underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical resection with use of IRE for margin accentuation. A Whipple procedure was performed in 73.9% of patients with half (52.2%) requiring vascular resection and reconstruction. Total intraoperative IRE treatment time was a median of 9.5 minutes. Post operative pathologic analysis revealed a positive margin in 17.4% of patients. Post-operative 30-day mortality rate was 4.3% (1/23). Median overall survival was found to be 15 months (95% CI 4.1-25.9) with a median recurrence free survival rate of 10 months (95% CI 0-22.9).

Conclusion: IRE is a safe tool for margin accentuation. At our institution, use of margin accentuation helped to achieve an R0 resection in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. IRE increases overall survival in this patient population at our institution to >12 months, consistent with the literature. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Volume

27

Issue

Suppl 2

First Page

S527

Comments

E-AHPBA (European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association) Congress, June 10-12, Dublin, Ireland

Last Page

S527

DOI

10.1016/j.hpb.2025.07.579

ISSN

1365-182X

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS