Targeted Remote Electrostimulation via Bipolar Nanosecond Pulse Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electroporation and electrostimulation techniques face challenges in selectively targeting deep tissues and organs non-invasively, as they often require invasive electrode placement, leading to tissue damage and limited precision.
Innovation Solution
The method involves superposing two biologically ineffective bipolar nanosecond electric pulses to create a biologically effective unipolar pulse at a remote location, enhancing stimulus efficiency by canceling the cancellation effect of individual pulses, known as the CANCAN effect, using independent electrode pairs and synchronized delivery to achieve targeted electroporation or electrostimulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If bipolar nanosecond electric pulses are used for non-invasive electroporation or electrostimulation, then tissue damage is reduced, but stimulus efficiency is significantly reduced due to cancellation effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two biologically ineffective bipolar nanosecond electric pulses in a specific spatial and temporal configuration. By positioning electrode pairs appropriately and delivering pulses with controlled timing, the patent merges the fields such that the cancellation effects cancel each other out at the target location, producing constructive interference and effective unipolar stimulation while maintaining the non-invasive benefits of bipolar pulses.
2Measurement precision
If invasive electrode placement is used to target deep tissues, then treatment precision is improved, but tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of invasive electrode insertion with a non-invasive electromagnetic field approach. By using carefully configured bipolar nanosecond pulses that produce constructive interference at the target depth, the system achieves precise targeting of deep tissues without physical penetration, thereby eliminating insertion trauma while maintaining spatial precision.
3Device complexity
If single electrode pair is used for electroporation, then device complexity is reduced, but targeting precision for deep tissues is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stimulation system into multiple independent electrode pairs, each contributing to the overall field configuration. This segmentation allows the system to achieve three-dimensional targeting precision by strategically positioning and timing multiple electrode pairs, with each pair responsible for a specific aspect of the field geometry, ultimately creating a focused unipolar pulse at the deep target location.
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 allows for non-invasive, selective, and precise targeting of deep tissues with enhanced electroporation or electrostimulation efficacy, reducing tissue damage and improving treatment precision, as demonstrated by up to 3-fold greater electroporation compared to asynchronous delivery.
Implementation Method 1
superposing a first biologically ineffective bipolar nanosecond electric pulse generated from a first pair of electrodes and a second biologically ineffective bipolar nanosecond electric pulse generated from a second pair of electrodes to create the biologically effective unipolar nanosecond electric pulse
Implementation Method 2
The enhanced stimulus efficiency of the biologically effective unipolar nanosecond electric pulse is caused by cancelling or reducing the cancellation effect
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are methods of generating a biologically effective unipolar nanosecond electric pulse by superposing two biologically ineffective bipolar nanosecond electric pulses and related aspects, such as electroporation and/or therapeutic applications of these methods to non-invasively target electrostimulation (ES) selectively to deep tissues and organs.