Professor Gianpaolo Carrafiello Receives Prestigious Research Programof National Interest (PRIN) Award

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that Professor Gianpaolo Carrafiello of the University of Varese (Italy) has received the prestigious Research Program of National Interest (PRIN) award for his scientific research project entitled, "Microwave Ablation: Everything Beyond the Liver."

Presented in July by the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research, the PRIN award recognizes the value of Professor Carrafiello´s proposed research around the performance of the Covidien Evident TM microwave ablation system in lung, kidney and pancreas ablations.

The Evident microwave ablation system, introduced in 2008, was the first microwave ablation (MWA) system available globally. The Evident MWA system is intended for coagulation of soft tissue during percutaneous, laparoscopic and open surgical procedures. Microwave energy emanates from the feed point of the radiating section of the antenna, causing coagulation of the tissue. The system then creates heat by interaction with water molecules. With microwave ablation, there is no current flow through the patient, eliminating the need for patient return electrodes (grounding pads).

Covidien provides interventional oncology solutions for both microwave and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with the Evident MWA system, the Cool-tip TM RFA system and the Cool-tip RFA system E Series*. Professor Carrafiello chose the Evident MWA technology for this study in part because of its physical modalities to produce necrosis, which can overcome some of the limits of radiofrequency ablation such as lesion dimensions, ablation of cystic lesion and heat sink effect. "With this study we will have the possibility to treat a large number of patients, and a new scenario of therapies will appear for the treatment of tumors in organs such as the pancreas," stated Professor Carrafiello.

Each year, the PRIN award presents multiple grants to researchers, with grants in 2011 totaling €1,047,000. Commenting on his grant of €258,000, Professor Carrafiello said, "My team and I are enthusiastic about receiving this award. It will help us enhance the research on microwave ablation beyond the liver and increase the number of publications in this field."

Professor Carrafiello received his medical degree in 1991 from the University of Pavia (Italy) and is fully registered with the Medical Board of Pavia. Before joining the University of Varese in September 2002, he held the position of Physician of Radiology at the Niguarda Cà Granda Hospital in Milan, Italy. He has published over 460 abstracts, textbook chapters and papers. In addition, he has participated in over 130 national lectures and international meetings, attending more than 80 of them as an invited speaker.

Professor Carrafiello´s relationship with Covidien includes his role as Proctor for multiple Masters Course offerings, the PACE partnership with Ospedale di Circolo di Varese Università dell´Insubria (University of Varese Hospital) and his position as Chairman for the Covidien Symposium at CIRSE 2011.

For more information on the grant program, visit http://prin.miur.it/.

*The Cool-tip RFA System E Series is not available for sale within the United States.

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