NanoKnife (Erreversible Electroporation - IRE) for Liver Tumor | University Clinic Rechts der Isar

NanoKnife (Irreversible Electroporation, IRE) for liver tumors at University Hospital Rechts der Isar is a minimally invasive, image-guided ablation technique provided by the Interventional Radiology Unit as part of its liver tumor treatment portfolio alongside other locoregional options. NanoKnife treats liver tumor tissue using high-frequency electrical impulses delivered directly into the lesion via needle-like electrodes; the resulting locally confined electric fields destabilize tumor cell membranes, leading to tumor cell destruction. It is offered as an option when surgery is not possible or when an operation has not achieved the desired result. At Rechts der Isar, the treatment strategy is defined interdisciplinarily in a tumor board together with other specialties, followed by an individual consultation on the planned steps, risks, potential side effects, and the post-treatment pathway. The intervention itself is performed under general anesthesia. Electrodes are placed percutaneously through the skin into the liver tumor, with electrode positioning controlled by imaging such as ultrasound and CT; once positioned, the system delivers up to 80 short electrical impulses. Preparation can take up to 2. 5 hours, while energy delivery typically takes only a few minutes, and post-procedure monitoring is usually carried out in an observation unit. A common reason for selecting NanoKnife in the liver is its predominantly non-thermal mechanism, which can be advantageous when lesions are close to sensitive structures; reviews describe IRE as potentially enabling targeted ablation near vascular or biliary structures with comparatively limited injury to these tubular structures, although careful selection remains essential and the exact role of IRE continues to be defined across tumor types and clinical scenarios.