Dual-Generator PEF Control Using Tissue Impedance Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pulsed electric field (PEF) therapies face significant patient-to-patient and session-to-session variability due to factors like hydration, gender, blood pressure, and electrode placement, leading to inconsistent treatment outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A tissue treatment system with a low-voltage (LV) and high-voltage (HV) signal generator, along with a controller, uses LV tissue impedance measurement to estimate tissue impedance, adjusting HV treatment signals to maintain a consistent current delivery, accounting for patient variability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high voltage pulses are delivered to treat tissue, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but treatment consistency varies significantly between patients and sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures tissue impedance before and during PEF delivery, using this feedback to dynamically adjust voltage parameters. This closed-loop control compensates for patient-to-patient and session-to-session variability, ensuring consistent current delivery and therapeutic effect across different patients and treatment sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the voltage parameter of PEF pulses based on measured tissue impedance characteristics. By adjusting voltage according to real-time impedance measurements, the system adapts to individual patient anatomy and tissue properties while maintaining consistent therapeutic current delivery.
2Ease of operation
If voltage is used as the targeted therapeutic metric, then treatment delivery is simplified, but significant variability in patient outcomes occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by measuring tissue impedance and adjusting voltage parameters accordingly. This ensures that the actual therapeutic metric (current) remains consistent despite variations in patient anatomy, while maintaining relatively simple operation through automated parameter adjustment.
3Reliability
If tissue impedance measurement is performed to account for patient variability, then treatment consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The same electrodes used for PEF delivery are also used for tissue impedance measurement. This multi-functional approach allows the system to perform both therapeutic delivery and diagnostic measurement without requiring separate measurement electrodes, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining treatment consistency.
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 system ensures consistent treatment by dynamically adjusting HV signals based on real-time tissue impedance measurements, providing controlled and effective PEF therapy despite individual differences.
Implementation Method 1
The LV tissue impedance measurement signal is used to estimate the impedance of the patient tissue
Implementation Method 2
Pulsed electric field therapy (PEF) can be used to deliver high voltage, short duration pulses to affect diseased tissue
Implementation Method 3
a current sense circuit configured to measure a current that is delivered to the patient tissue via the active electrode
Data Source
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Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Tissue treatment systems and methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, a tissue treatment system includes a LV signal generator, a HV signal generator, and a controller. The LV signal generator is used to produce a LV tissue impedance measurement signal, and the HV signal generator is used to produce a HV tissue treatment signal having a voltage that is at least five times greater than a voltage of the LV tissue impedance measurement signal. The controller controls when the HV tissue treatment signal produced using the HV signal generator, and when the LV tissue impedance measurement signal produced using the LV signal generator, are delivered to patient tissue via an active electrode and a return electrode. The LV tissue impedance measurement signal is used to estimate the impedance of the patient tissue, which is used to control the voltage and/or current of the HV tissue treatment signal.