NCT06903208

RFA for Superficial Lipomas

Radiofrequency Ablation as a Scar-free, Non-operative Approach to Treatment of Superficial Lipomas

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Columbia University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Lipomas are non-cancerous growths of fatty tissue that develop under the skin in approximately 1 in 1000 people, though this number may be higher. While rarely symptomatic, they often cause emotional distress due to the unappealing appearance of the mass. Treatment of unsightly lipomas is excision with local anesthetic in the office or with sedation in the operating room. The recovery period is short and the procedure is low risk; however, the result of the operation is a visible scar over the site of the lipoma. Many patients defer surgical excision because excision of a lipoma is a cosmetic procedure, but the aesthetic outcome is undesirable. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a technique that applies heat generated by a high frequency, alternating current to soft tissue. The hyperthermia produced by the current causes tissue necrosis that ablates the tissue into which the energy is directed. RFA has been successfully applied to thyroid nodules, pancreatic lesions, esophageal dysplasia and liver tumors. However, the manufacturers of the RFA technology have been focused on its application in pre-malignant and malignant lesions and have not yet considered its application to benign tumors. This study will test the success of RFA for superficial lipomas as a non-surgical option for treatment.

Conditions

• Lipoma

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	STARMed VIVA Combo RF System	RFA is a kind of treatment that uses a long thin needle, called a probe, to melt the lipoma. After numbing the skin with a local anesthetic, using an ultrasound machine as a guide, the study surgeon will insert the probe into the center of the lipoma. The probe will then deliver heat to the lipoma, melting it. The ultrasound is a machine which bounces sound waves to create an image that the study doctor sees on a screen. These ultrasound images will help the study surgeon to accurately guide the probe to the correct location of the lipoma. Once the lipoma is melted, the study surgeon will aspirate any residual liquid out.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-04-02
• Primary completion: 2026-12-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2025-03-30
• Last updated: 2025-07-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study