Hollow Needle Electrode Array for Deep Tumor Electroporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electroporation devices face challenges in accurately delivering drugs to tumors deep within the body, as they are difficult to operate, result in non-uniform electric field intensities, causing damage to normal cells, and have low drug utilization efficiency and increased patient suffering.
Innovation Solution
A drug-delivering device with a hollow needle electrode array and a control console that allows real-time monitoring and precise control of electric field intensity, enabling accurate positioning and dosage delivery of molecular drugs into tissues with minimal damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If external electrodes are placed on the skin to generate electric field for electroporation, then the treatment can be applied to surface tumors, but the electrodes cannot approach deep tissues such as internal tumors
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into multiple hollow needle electrodes that can be individually inserted to different depths and positions within the tumor tissue. This allows the electric field to be generated locally at the tumor site while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues, thus enabling deep tissue treatment without excessive damage to normal cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric field generation is localized to the tumor region by inserting hollow needle electrodes directly into or near the tumor. This concentrates the electroporation effect where needed while reducing the volume of healthy tissue exposed to high electric field intensities, thereby treating deep tumors without causing widespread damage to normal cells.
2Productivity
If the electric field intensity is increased to achieve effective electroporation of tumor cells, then drug delivery efficiency improves, but damage to normal and healthy cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow needle electrodes concentrate the electric field generation locally at the tumor site, allowing high electric field intensities to be applied specifically to tumor cells while surrounding healthy tissues are exposed to minimal or no electric field. This enables effective drug delivery to the tumor without causing excessive damage to normal cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow needle electrodes act as intermediaries that deliver both the chemotherapeutic drug and the electric pulses directly to the tumor tissue. This dual delivery mechanism ensures that the drug is present at the target site when electroporation occurs, maximizing drug uptake by tumor cells while limiting exposure of healthy tissues to both the drug and electric field.
3Length of moving object
If hollow needle electrodes are inserted into tumors for direct drug injection and electric field generation, then deep tissue treatment becomes possible, but the devices are difficult to operate and have low drug utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow needle electrodes are designed to perform multiple functions: serving as injection needles for drug delivery, as electrodes for electric pulse generation, and as potential sensors for monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate devices needed and simplifies the overall procedure, making deep tissue electroporation more operationally feasible.
4Length of moving object
If hollow needle electrodes are used for electroporation, then drug delivery to deep tissues is enabled, but the electric field intensity becomes non-uniform causing damage to normal cells
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system uses multiple hollow needle electrodes arranged in a specific configuration rather than a single electrode. This segmentation allows for more uniform distribution of the electric field within the tumor tissue by creating overlapping field patterns from multiple sources, reducing hot spots that could damage normal cells while ensuring adequate field intensity throughout the tumor.
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 device achieves effective drug delivery with reduced damage to normal cells, enhanced drug utilization, shorter treatment times, and improved patient comfort by providing a uniform electric field and precise control over the administration process.
Implementation Method 1
electric fields can produce some pores on cells without causing permanent damages to the cells. This discovery made it possible for molecules to enter into the cytoplasm. People know that by means of the so-called electroporation, genes and other molecules such as drug compounds, are capable to be introduced into living cells.
Implementation Method 2
Genes or drugs as well as living cells are mixed in a buffer medium, and then applied with short pulses of a strong electric field. In this way, cell membranes transiently become porous, and then genes or molecules enter the cells.
Data Source
AI summary
An electroporating drug delivering device using hollow needle electrode includes a drug delivering head, a control console as well as a control line and a tube for connecting the drug delivering head and the control console. The drug delivering head includes a universal joint, a camera, an illuminating lamp, a molecular drug delivery structure, an electric connector, a grille, a hollow needle electrode array, and a stretchable structure. The control console includes a display for observing images, a rocker for controlling the universal joint, and a remote starting unit for controlling the generation of electric pulses. The control console is connected with the electric connector inside of the drug delivering head by the line arranged inside of the tube. The electroporating drug-administration device enhances the drug utilization efficiency and reduces the treatment time, and can accurately adjust the intensity and region of the electric field.