The Tissue Effect of Radiofrequency Ablation on Rectal Mucosa

The aim of this study was to examine the depth of radiofrequency ablation on the rectum. Many elderly people have a rectal mucosal prolapse. The procedure combining radiofrequency ablation and plication of the rectal mucosa was reported as an effective means of treatment. However, no pathologic review of the technique has been reported thus far. This study was conducted from January 2012 to August 2013 at the authors' institution. Thirty rectal specimens obtained from 15 patients who underwent stapled transanal rectal resection were coagulated by radiofrequency ablation using TissueLink at power settings of 30 or 50 W and examined histologically. Mucosal epithelia of all specimens was desquamated after radiofrequency ablation. The distance from the mucosal surface to the lamina muscularis mucosae was significantly shorter in ablated specimens than that of normal mucosa and significantly shorter in proportion to coagulation power settings. This study demonstrated that at least mucosal epithelia disappeared histologically after radiofrequency ablation.