Effect of sequential delivery of 1- and 2-MHz bipolar microneedling radiofrequency energy on thermal tissue reactions in a minipig model

Abstract

Background: Bipolar microneedling radiofrequency (RF) treatment generates different patterns of thermal reactions, depending on the skin impedance and RF treatment parameters, including the frequency, power, conduction time, settings of sub-pulse packs, and penetrating depth and type of microneedles used. We compared the effect of sequential delivery of 1- and 2-MHz bipolar RF energy to in vivo minipig skin on thermal tissue reaction.

Methods: RF treatments at frequencies of 1 and 2 MHz were sequentially delivered to minipigs' skin in vivo. A histological study was performed to analyze RF-induced skin reactions at 1-h and at 3-, 7-, and 14-days post-treatment.

Results: The skin specimens demonstrated that the two different frequencies of RF treatment generated mixed patterns of the peri-electrode coagulative necrosis (PECN) according to the experimental settings and tissue impedance. In the PECN zone, the tissue coagulation induced by the first RF treatment was surrounded by the effect of the later RF treatment at the other RF frequency. In the inter-electrode non-necrotic thermal reaction zone, the effect of the latter RF treatment was widespread and deep through the dermis, which had received RF treatment at the other frequency first. The delivery of pulsed-type RF energy at sub-pulse packs of 6 or 10 provided effective RF delivery over long conduction time without excessive thermal damage of the epidermis. Nonetheless, by sequential delivery of two different RF frequencies, RF-induced tissue reactions were found to be markedly enhanced.

Conclusion: The sequential delivery of 1- and 2-MHz RF energy induces novel histological patterns of tissue reactions, which can synergistically enhance the thermostimulatory effects of each RF setting. Moreover, variations in patterns of tissue reactions can be generated by regulating the order of frequencies and the number of sub-pulse packs of RF used.

Keywords: alternating current; bipolar; frequency; gated pulse; parallel contact cooling; porcine model; radiofrequency; tissue reaction.