Electroporation Pulse Generator with Real-Time Impedance Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electroporation medical devices lack real-time monitoring and adjustment capabilities, leading to unpredictable treatment outcomes due to variations in tissue properties and responses during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A system with at least two electrodes and a pulse generator that applies pre-treatment and intra-treatment test signals to monitor impedance changes, allowing for real-time progress tracking and adjustment of electroporation pulses to ensure effective tissue ablation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-determined pulse parameter protocols are used in conventional electroporation devices, then the treatment procedure can be executed with a simple control system, but the treatment outcomes become unpredictable due to variations in tissue properties and responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time monitoring of tissue impedance during electroporation treatment to detect changes in tissue properties. The system uses feedback from impedance measurements to dynamically adjust pulse parameters, ensuring reliable treatment outcomes despite variations in tissue characteristics. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to actual tissue responses rather than relying solely on pre-determined protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static pre-determined pulse parameter protocols to dynamic parameter adjustment based on real-time tissue monitoring. The pulse parameters (voltage, pulse length, number of pulses) are modified during treatment according to measured tissue impedance changes, allowing the treatment to adapt to actual tissue properties and responses.
2Measurement precision
If real-time monitoring of tissue impedance is implemented, then treatment progress can be accurately tracked and parameters adjusted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pulse generator is designed to perform multiple functions: delivering electroporation pulses and measuring tissue impedance. By integrating the monitoring capability into the existing pulse generator, the system achieves accurate treatment progress tracking without adding separate complex monitoring equipment. The same electrodes used for pulse delivery also serve for impedance measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the electroporation pulses themselves to generate measurement information. The impedance measurements are obtained during the treatment procedure using the existing pulse delivery infrastructure, allowing the system to monitor its own treatment progress without requiring external monitoring devices.
3Ease of manufacture
If pulse parameters are selected from previously existing ablation data, then the treatment planning process is simplified, but the treatment may not achieve clinically sufficient electroporation due to patient-specific variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary impedance measurements before and during treatment to establish baseline tissue properties. This preliminary characterization of patient-specific tissue characteristics allows for better treatment planning while maintaining the ability to adjust parameters based on actual treatment response, combining the benefits of pre-planning with adaptive adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables improved treatment delivery and increased success rates by providing real-time feedback on tissue electroporation progress and endpoint determination, ensuring clinically sufficient ablation of targeted regions.
Implementation Method 1
delivering a series of voltage pulses capable of irreversibly electroporating the tissue cells within the target region
Implementation Method 2
determining a progress of the treatment procedure by monitoring changes in impedance values of the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system for ablating a tissue site with real-time monitoring during an electroporation treatment procedure. A pulse generator generates a pre-treatment (PT) test signal prior to the treatment procedure and intra-treatment (IT) test signals during the treatment procedure. A treatment control module determines impedance values from the PT test signal and IT test signals and determines a progress of electroporation and an end point of treatment in real-time based on the determined impedance values while the treatment progresses.