Key Points
- Lipomas are the most common benign skin tumor in dogs, and large or complex cases can cause discomfort or mobility issues.
- Up to 20 dogs will be treated in a study taking place at Virginia Tech.
The first dog has been treated in a new clinical trial testing focused ultrasound histotripsy for the treatment of canine lipomas.
The most common skin tumor in dogs, lipomas are benign fatty tumors. While treatment is not always required, large or complex lipomas can cause discomfort or mobility issues. Traditional intervention involves surgery or radiation, but some dogs do not tolerate surgery or the Elizabethan collar well, and owners may prefer a noninvasive option.
This clinical trial is testing the safety and feasibility of focused ultrasound histotripsy – a technique where ultrasound energy is used to liquefy target tissue noninvasively without heating – to treat lipomas. The study is using a clinical prototype device designed to treat shallow targets and is being led by Adam Maxwell, PhD, research associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, and Mark Freeman, DVM, DABVP, clinical associate professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. The team is also collaborating with co-investigators Lauren Ruger, PhD, Joanne Tuohy, DVM, PhD, and Eli Vlaisavljevich, PhD, on the study.
The 20 dogs that will be enrolled in the clinical study will be equally randomized into two post-procedure aims. The first aim will assess whether the liquified tissue is naturally reabsorbed over the course of four months. In the second group, researchers will remove the liquid immediately following the histotripsy procedure through a needle aspiration.
The first patient was treated recently, where a subsection of the lipoma was ablated with histotripsy. The research team found that, similar to other histotripsy procedures, the ablated treatment zone was immediately identifiable by ultrasound imaging, confirming the effect. Check-ups one and two weeks after the procedure have found the patient is doing well and has shown no signs of collateral effects or abnormalities after treatment.
The dogs undergo anesthesia for the histotripsy procedure and are then released to their owners upon waking. Four weekly follow-up visits are required, as well as visits at 6, 8, and 16 weeks post treatment.
“Lipomas are largely cosmetic (with the exception of those that grow exponentially), and don’t warrant an invasive surgery for removal,” said Dr. Freeman. “However, many clients find them aesthetically unacceptable and still opt for surgical removal despite the imbalanced risk vs benefit. Histotripsy offers a safe and effective alternative and would significantly improve animal lives in the long run.”
Last year, Virginia Tech was designated as a Focused Ultrasound Center of Excellence, and the Focused Ultrasound Foundation is funding this clinical trial through its advocacy efforts to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
For Patients
To learn more about participating, visit the trial website and contact clinical trials coordinator Robyn Fox, LVT, at [email protected]. To be included, patients must have a lipoma two to four centimeters in diameter, be healthy enough for anesthesia, and not be receiving immunotherapy or chemotherapy.
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