Coming soon to a hospital near you! [biomedical applications of RF/microwaves]

The author describes a couple of examples where the biomedical applications of microwaves/RF are close to clinical use. The first is a successful clinical trial of RF ablation for breast cancer treatment. RF ablation relies on ultrasound for locating the tumor and guiding a thin needle electrode to the tumor. The electrode delivers RF energy to destroy (ablate) the tumor cells. The second example is the use of conductive keratoplasty (CK) for "the temporary reduction" of farsightedness in people over age 40. The procedure uses a probe, thinner than a strand of human hair, to apply RF energy to small areas around the periphery of the corneal tissue.