Non-thermal Irreversible Electroporation for Brain Tumor Ablation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating aberrant cell growth, such as tumors, are either invasive, cause collateral damage, or have significant side effects, and there is a need for a more precise and controlled approach to destroy tumor tissues without harming surrounding healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) with specifically designed devices and methods that deliver controlled electrical pulses to induce structural changes in cell membranes, causing cell death while preserving extracellular matrix, blood vessels, and minimizing heat generation, allowing for precise ablation of tumors like brain cancers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical intervention is used to remove tumors, then tumor removal effectiveness is improved, but physical damage to patient and recuperation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical surgical removal with electrical field-based electroporation. IRE uses high-voltage electrical pulses to create permanent pores in cell membranes, achieving tumor cell death without mechanical cutting or physical removal. This substitution eliminates surgical trauma, bleeding, and extended recuperation while maintaining effective tumor destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental treatment parameter from mechanical force to electrical field intensity. By controlling pulse voltage, duration, and number of pulses, the treatment achieves selective cell membrane permeabilization. The electrical parameters are tuned to destroy tumor cells while preserving surrounding healthy tissue, blood vessels, and extracellular matrix structure.
2Reliability
If radiation therapy is used to kill tumor cells, then cell destruction is achieved, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies electrical fields locally to the tumor region through inserted electrodes. The electric field concentration is controlled to affect only the targeted tumor tissue, creating a sharp boundary between treated and untreated areas. This local application spares surrounding healthy tissue from radiation-like collateral damage while achieving complete tumor cell destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses electrodes as intermediaries to deliver energy precisely to the tumor. The electrical pulses travel through the electrodes and affect only cells in the immediate treatment zone, creating a highly localized effect. This intermediary approach eliminates the penetrating, non-selective nature of radiation therapy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If chemotherapeutic treatment is used to treat tumors, then systemic treatment coverage is improved, but systemic damage and side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the treatment effect from systemic circulation and delivers it directly to the tumor site. Instead of administering chemicals that circulate throughout the body, IRE delivers electrical energy locally through electrodes inserted into or near the tumor. This extraction of the treatment mechanism from systemic delivery eliminates widespread side effects while maintaining effective tumor treatment.
4Manufacturing precision
If irreversible electroporation is used to ablate tumors, then precision and control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the treatment into discrete electrical pulses delivered by multiple electrodes. Each electrode pair creates a controlled electric field zone, and the treatment can be segmented into multiple pulse sequences. This segmentation allows precise control over the treated volume and enables flexible adaptation to different tumor shapes and sizes without requiring overly complex single-unit devices.
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
IRE provides a minimally invasive, controlled, and precise method for destroying tumor tissues, reducing collateral damage and side effects, with the ability to treat tumors of varying sizes and shapes, including those in hard-to-reach areas like the brain, while maintaining the integrity of surrounding tissues.
Implementation Method 1
The procedure involves placing electrodes within or near the targeted region to deliver a series of low energy, microsecond electric pulses for approximately 1 minute. These pulses permanently destabilize the cell membranes of the targeted tissue (e.g., tumor), thereby killing the cells.
Implementation Method 2
The inventors and their colleagues recently developed a new method to treat tumors, known as irreversible electroporation (IRE). The procedure involves placing electrodes within or near the targeted region to deliver a series of low energy, microsecond electric pulses for approximately 1 minute. These pulses permanently destabilize the cell membranes of the targeted tissue (e.g., tumor), thereby killing the cells.
Implementation Method 3
The procedure involves placing electrodes within or near the targeted region to deliver a series of low energy, microsecond electric pulses for approximately 1 minute. These pulses permanently destabilize the cell membranes of the targeted tissue (e.g., tumor), thereby killing the cells. IRE does not affect major blood vessels, does not require the use of drugs and non-thermally kills neoplastic cells in a precise and controllable manner, without significantly damaging surrounding tissue.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for in vivo treatment of cell proliferative disorders. Included is a method of treating tissue with electrical energy, the method comprising: delivering electrical energy to tissue using one or more electroporation devices comprising one or more electrodes; and cooling the tissue, surrounding tissue, one or more of the electrodes, or one or more of the electroporation devices to minimize heating. In embodiments, the invention can be used to treat solid tumors, such as brain tumors, and in some embodiments, exemplary methods rely on non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) to cause cell death in treated tumors.