Stacked Electroporation Pulses for Membrane Permeability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current electroporation techniques involve significant delays between high and low voltage pulses, allowing cellular pores to close and reducing permeability, which decreases the effectiveness of material transfer across cell membranes.

Innovation Solution

A method of delivering stacked pulsed electrical energy to a target tissue region by removing delays between pulses of different amplitudes, using a sequence of pulses with varying amplitudes and polarities to maintain permeability and increase the efficacy of the electroporation process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a delay period is introduced between high amplitude and low amplitude pulses in electroporation, then cells have time to recover and reduce permeability, but the effectiveness of material transfer across cell membranes decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell membrane permeability controlVSAvoidmaterial transfer effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies continuous pulsing without delay periods between high amplitude and low amplitude pulses, maintaining the electroporation effect continuously. This eliminates the recovery period that would otherwise allow pores to close, thereby maintaining high membrane permeability and improving material transfer effectiveness throughout the treatment duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses alternating high and low amplitude pulses in a periodic sequence without delays. The high amplitude pulses create and maintain pores while the low amplitude pulses drive materials through the membrane during the extended permeability period, creating an effective periodic action that continuously enhances material transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If high voltage pulses are applied to create pores in cell membranes, then material transfer is enabled, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectroporation effectivenessVSAvoidenergy required for pore creation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses low amplitude pulses following high amplitude pulses to drive materials through the membrane. The low amplitude pulses require significantly less energy while still being effective at transporting materials through the already-open pores, thus reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining electroporation effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The high amplitude pulse performs the preliminary action of creating pores in the cell membrane before the low amplitude pulses are applied. This preliminary pore creation allows subsequent low energy pulses to efficiently transport materials without requiring high energy input for each pulse.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If delay periods are used between pulses in electroporation waveforms, then pulse delivery is simplified, but the duration of the treatment process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepulse delivery controlVSAvoidtotal treatment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous pulsing without delay periods between high and low amplitude pulses. This continuous action maintains extended membrane permeability throughout the entire treatment duration, ensuring that the therapeutic effect is maximized throughout the procedure without time losses from recovery periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 enhances the effectiveness of electroporation by maintaining cellular permeability, reducing energy requirements, and minimizing recovery time, thereby improving the transfer of ions and DNA across cell membranes.

Implementation Method 1

A second pulse is delivered immediately after the first pulse for a second time period, the second pulse having a second voltage amplitude configured to electroporate the target tissue region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroporation:

Data Source

PatentUS11464968B2Stacked potential electroporation

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

A method of delivering pulsed electrical energy to a target tissue region includes delivering a first therapeutic pulse, the delivering of the first therapeutic pulse includes delivering a first pulse for a first time period, the first pulse having a first voltage amplitude. A second pulse is delivered immediately after the first pulse for a second time period, the second pulse having a second voltage amplitude configured to electroporate the target tissue region, the second time period being less than the first time period. A third pulse is delivered without delay after the second pulse for a third time period, the third pulse having a third voltage amplitude being at least one from the group consisting of substantially the same as the first amplitude, larger than the first amplitude, and less than the first amplitude.