Effects of changes in electrical and thermal conductivities on radiofrequency lesion dimensions

This study analyzed the effects of changes in the tissue, blood and electrode electrical and thermal conductivities on lesion dimensions. The authors used complex validated three-dimensional finite element models to perform these analyses. The simulations predict that, during constant-power ablation, smaller lesions are produced in tissue with lower electrical conductivity. A decrease in the blood electrical conductivity can result in overheating. A decreased tissue thermal conductivity resulted in a higher maximum temperature but a smaller lesion. Modifications of the electrode thermal conductivity by 50% did not result in any significant effects on lesion size or temperature profiles