Pulsed Electric Field Control for Tumor Ablation and Thermal Gradients
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for cell proliferative diseases, such as surgical intervention, radiation, and chemotherapy, often cause significant side effects and are not highly effective for all types of cell proliferative diseases, especially when tumors are inaccessible or on non-regenerative organs, and can result in collateral damage and long recuperation times.
Innovation Solution
A method of electronically controlled electrotherapy that delivers electrical pulses with dynamically adjusted energy profiles in response to real-time measurements to modify target cells, reducing muscle contractions, thermal injury, and inducing immune responses, using electrodes and sensors to control the delivery of electrical pulses.
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 intervention with a non-mechanical electrical field-based treatment (IRE). Electrical pulses are delivered through electrodes to create irreversible electroporation in tumor cells, eliminating the need for physical cutting and tissue manipulation while achieving effective tumor ablation with minimal collateral damage and shorter recovery times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the electrical field (voltage, pulse duration, pulse repetition rate) to control the electroporation effect. By adjusting these parameters, the treatment can selectively damage tumor cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, resolving the contradiction between effective tumor removal and minimizing physical damage.
2Reliability
If radiation is used to kill tumor cells, then cell destruction effectiveness is improved, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by delivering electrical energy locally through electrodes positioned near or within the tumor. The electric field is concentrated in the treatment zone, creating irreversible electroporation specifically in target cells while leaving surrounding healthy tissue unaffected, thus achieving effective cell destruction without collateral damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces radiation therapy with an electrical field-based mechanism (IRE). Unlike radiation which penetrates and affects all tissues in its path, the electrical field is localized to the electrode vicinity, substituting a non-penetrating, highly localized energy delivery method that spares surrounding tissues.
3Adaptability or versatility
If chemotherapy 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 therapy (chemotherapy) with a localized physical therapy (electrical field application). This substitution eliminates the need for systemic drug distribution, achieving tumor treatment through local electroporation while avoiding the systemic toxicity and side effects associated with chemotherapy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the treatment effect from the systemic circulation and delivers it locally through electrodes. By taking out the need for systemic drug delivery and replacing it with direct electrical field application at the tumor site, the treatment achieves cancer cell destruction without exposing the entire body to toxic chemicals.
4Reliability
If high energy electrical pulses are delivered for tumor ablation, then tumor destruction effectiveness is improved, but thermal injury and muscle stimulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic electrical pulses with specific timing characteristics (pulse width, inter-pulse interval, repetition rate) to achieve cumulative electroporation effect. The periodic delivery allows cells to accumulate damage over multiple pulses while the intervals prevent excessive heat buildup and reduce muscle stimulation, resolving the contradiction between effective tumor destruction and minimizing harmful side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes in the electrical pulse delivery (voltage amplitude, pulse width, repetition rate) to optimize the balance between tumor destruction and side effect minimization. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the treatment achieves effective electroporation while maintaining temperatures that prevent thermal injury and using pulse characteristics that minimize muscle stimulation.
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
Achieves precise tissue ablation with reduced side effects by controlling temperature and inducing immune responses, enabling effective treatment of tumors with minimal collateral damage and shorter recuperation times.
Implementation Method 1
Irreversible electroporation (IRE) involves placing electrodes within or near the targeted region to deliver a series of low energy, microsecond electric pulses. These pulses permanently destabilize the cell membranes of the targeted tissue (e.g., tumor), thereby killing the cells.
Implementation Method 2
The ablation of unwanted soft tissue can be achieved by many means, including surgical excision, application of excessive amount of ionizing radiation or other forms of energy (excessive heating and cooling)
Data Source
AI summary
Pursuant to embodiments of the present invention, a method of performing electronically controlled electrotherapy may include modifying or killing target cells and simultaneously modifying a secondary outcome by delivering electrical pulses and dynamically adjusting an energy delivery profile of the electrical pulses in response to a measurement. The secondary outcome may be a physical outcome, a biological outcome, and/or a systemic outcome.