Instrumentation and Technique: Hyperthermal Ablation: Radiofrequency and Microwave Ablation

The detection of small renal masses have increased as non-invasive imaging technology has advanced, which in return, has ushered in the era of needle ablation as a viable treatment alternative for those patients with either solitary kidneys or those with advanced age and other co-morbidities which would make them a high risk for extirpative surgery. Needle ablation has the advantage of less trauma to the patient with little risk of hemorrhage and no warm ischemia over partial nephrectomy with encouraging medium to long term oncological outcomes for both radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation. This chapter discusses the instrumentation, techniques, and oncological outcome results from published studies for both radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation.