Electrosurgical Generator for Temperature Enhanced Irreversible Electroporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrosurgical techniques, such as irreversible electroporation (IRE), face limitations in effectively ablating tissue without causing thermal damage, necessitating an enhancement in the delivery of electrosurgical energy.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical generator that simultaneously generates a pulsatile direct current electroporation waveform and a sinusoidal radio frequency heating waveform, with the RF waveform applied before, during, and after the electroporation pulses to increase the effectiveness of tissue ablation while minimizing thermal effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional monopolar or bipolar electrosurgery is used to ablate tissue, then tissue removal is achieved, but thermal damage occurs to surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical system segments the energy delivery process by separating thermal heating (RF waveform) from non-thermal electroporation (pulsed electric field waveform). This allows independent optimization of each function: RF heating prepares the tissue by raising temperature to 40-50°C, while the subsequent pulsed electric field delivers electroporation energy without additional thermal damage, thus resolving the contradiction between effective ablation and thermal protection
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic pulsed electric field delivery with specific timing intervals between pulses and between the heating phase and electroporation phase. The periodic nature of the pulsed waveform allows tissue permeabilization to occur during each pulse while providing intervals for controlled energy delivery, preventing cumulative thermal damage while maintaining effective ablation through repeated electroporation cycles
2Object-affected harmful factors
If IRE is used to ablate tissue without thermal effects, then thermal damage is minimized, but the effectiveness of tissue ablation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges two previously separate electrosurgical approaches into a single integrated procedure: RF thermal heating followed by IRE electroporation. The RF heating phase raises tissue temperature to 40-50°C, which enhances cell membrane permeability and sensitizes cells to subsequent electroporation. This combination achieves more effective and faster ablation than IRE alone, while the controlled heating remains below thresholds for damaging thermal coagulation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary RF thermal heating before applying the electroporation pulses. This preliminary action of raising tissue temperature to 40-50°C prepares the tissue by increasing membrane fluidity and permeability, making cells more susceptible to electroporation. This pre-conditioning effect enhances the effectiveness of subsequent IRE pulses without requiring higher energy levels that would cause thermal damage
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
The simultaneous delivery of the RF heating and electroporation waveforms enhances the effectiveness of tissue ablation by increasing the permeabilization of cellular membranes, thereby improving the efficiency of tissue removal without the adverse thermal effects associated with conventional electrosurgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The heating RF waveform may be a sinusoidal RF waveform configured to heat tissue to a temperature from about 40° C. to about 50° C.
Implementation Method 2
irreversible electroporation (IRE) in which electrical pulses are applied across the tissue cells to generate a destabilizing electric field across cells' outer membrane and cause the formation of permanent nanoscale defects in the lipid bilayer of the cells
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical generator is disclosed. The electrosurgical generator includes: a power supply configured to output DC power; an inverter coupled to the power supply, the inverter including a plurality of switching elements; and a controller coupled to the inverter and configured to signal the inverter to simultaneously generate based on the DC power a radio frequency heating waveform and an electroporation waveform.