Non-thermal Irreversible Electroporation for Brain Tumor Ablation
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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 precise and controlled method to ablate diseased tissues without affecting surrounding healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) with specifically designed devices and electrodes to deliver controlled electric pulses, minimizing heat generation and preserving extracellular matrix, blood vessels, and neural structures, allowing for targeted cell death without extensive tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical intervention is used to physically remove tumors, then tumor removal effectiveness is improved, but physical damage to surrounding tissue and recuperation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical surgical removal with electrical field-based irreversible electroporation. Electrodes deliver high-voltage electric pulses that create permanent pores in cell membranes through electroporation, causing selective cell death in tumor tissue without mechanical contact or physical cutting, thereby eliminating surgical trauma to surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in electrical field characteristics (voltage, pulse duration, pulse repetition frequency) to control the electroporation effect. By adjusting these parameters, the treatment achieves selective cell membrane permeabilization in tumor cells while preserving surrounding healthy tissue structure and function
2Reliability
If radiation therapy is used to kill tumor cells, then cell destruction is improved, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces radiation-based cell destruction with electrical field-induced electroporation. The electric pulses directly affect cell membranes through physical electroporation mechanisms rather than ionizing radiation, eliminating radiation-induced DNA damage and collateral tissue injury while maintaining effective tumor cell killing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning electrodes directly within or adjacent to the tumor mass, creating a highly localized electric field that confines the electroporation effect to the target region. This ensures that only tumor cells in the immediate treatment zone undergo membrane permeabilization, while surrounding healthy tissues remain unaffected
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 replaces systemic chemical chemotherapy with localized electrical field application. The electroporation treatment acts directly on tumor cells through physical membrane disruption without introducing toxic chemicals into the bloodstream, eliminating systemic side effects such as nausea, hair loss, and immunosuppression while maintaining effective tumor cell killing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful chemical component from cancer treatment by removing the need for chemotherapeutic agents entirely. The treatment relies solely on physical electroporation induced by electric pulses, eliminating the requirement for systemic drug administration and its associated toxicities
4Manufacturing precision
If irreversible electroporation is used to ablate tumors, then precision and control are improved, but heat generation may affect surrounding tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsed electric fields with microsecond-duration pulses separated by intervals. This periodic application allows tissue to dissipate heat between pulses, preventing thermal accumulation and maintaining non-thermal electroporation conditions while delivering sufficient total energy to achieve complete cell membrane permeabilization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses extremely short microsecond pulse durations to deliver high-voltage electric fields so quickly that thermal effects are minimized. The rapid pulse delivery 'skips' over the thermal conduction process, allowing the electric field to induce electroporation before significant heat can diffuse to surrounding tissues
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, precise, and controlled method for ablating tumors, including those in the brain, with reduced collateral damage and side effects, promoting immune response and effective treatment of aberrant cell growths while sparing healthy tissue.
Implementation Method 1
irreversible electroporation (IRE) with specifically designed devices and electrodes to deliver controlled electric pulses
Implementation Method 2
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
Implementation Method 3
minimizing heat generation and preserving extracellular matrix, blood vessels, and neural structures
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.