An intraductal radiofrequency catheter delivers alternating electrical current into the bile duct. This produces localized heating, which causes coagulative necrosis, meaning irreversible thermal tissue injury. Because the energy is controlled and concentrated at the treatment site, the approach is intended to limit injury to nearby structures while treating diseased tissue within the duct.
The catheter and stent serve different purposes. The intraductal catheter applies thermal treatment to diseased tissue, whereas the biliary stent is placed afterward to support drainage through the treated duct. Separating ablation from drainage allows the intervention to address both local tissue destruction and the mechanical problem of impaired bile flow.
Clinical use centers on malignant biliary obstruction, especially when the cancer is unresectable and treatment is palliative. The technique has also been used for selected strictures, but the overview does not imply that every stricture is suitable. This distinction matters because candidacy depends on the disease context and the intended goal of treatment.
A typical treatment sequence begins with endoscopic access to the bile ducts, followed by positioning of the intraductal catheter at the diseased area. Controlled radiofrequency energy is then delivered, and a biliary stent can be placed to maintain drainage. This sequence links local ablation with restoration of bile flow as part of treatment.
The approach is most relevant when biliary cancer cannot be surgically removed and the treatment objective is palliation, including relief of obstruction-related symptoms and support of bile drainage. It may also be considered for selected biliary strictures. Thus, its role is therapeutic and supportive rather than presented as a curative cancer treatment.
Potential outcomes include tissue ablation, symptom relief, improved biliary drainage, and potentially longer stent patency. Survival benefit remains an area of ongoing research, so these procedural outcomes should not be treated as proof of improved survival. This distinction helps interpret clinical studies evaluating the technique in malignant biliary obstruction.