Transurethral Irreversible Electroporation with Local Temperature Gradient

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical procedures for treating benign prostatic hypertrophy, such as transurethral resection, often result in urethral stricture and morbidity due to indiscriminate tissue ablation, and lack selective and rapid energy delivery methods for irreversible electroporation.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for selective and rapid irreversible electroporation therapy using a DC voltage/signal generator and controller to apply pulsed voltage waveforms to electrodes, with temperature control to differentiate between urethral and prostate tissue susceptibility, ensuring targeted ablation without damaging urethral epithelium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If thermal-based ablation methods are used to treat prostate tissue, then tissue destruction is achieved, but urethral epithelium is indiscriminately damaged causing stricture and morbidity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselectivity of tissue ablationVSAvoidurethral epithelium damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different temperature conditions to different tissue types: prostate tissue is heated to ablation temperatures (50-100°C) while urethral epithelium is maintained at lower temperatures (below 45°C) to preserve its integrity. This local quality differentiation enables selective ablation of prostate tissue without damaging the urethral lining, resolving the contradiction between achieving tissue destruction and avoiding harmful side effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If conventional resection or ablation procedures are performed, then prostate tissue is removed or destroyed, but recovery time is extended due to urethral injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of tissue ablationVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical resection methods with thermal ablation followed by natural healing. By using controlled thermal energy to destroy prostate tissue rather than mechanically removing it, the procedure avoids trauma to the urethral epithelium. This substitution enables rapid tissue ablation while minimizing injury to surrounding structures, thereby reducing recovery time and eliminating the trade-off between ablation speed and recovery duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If high electric fields are applied to achieve irreversible electroporation, then cell membrane disruption occurs, but urethral tissue is also affected causing stricture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverapidity of electroporation actionVSAvoidurethral stricture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic pulsed electric fields with specific timing and duration to achieve irreversible electroporation in prostate tissue while sparing urethral epithelium. By controlling the pulse frequency, width, and amplitude, the system can selectively disrupt cell membranes in targeted prostate tissue without causing cumulative damage to the urethral lining, thus maintaining rapid action while avoiding harmful side effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic 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

The system enables precise and effective ablation of prostate tissue while preserving the integrity of the urethral wall, reducing recovery time and morbidity by creating a local temperature gradient that raises the ablation threshold for urethral tissue and lowers it for prostate tissue.

Implementation Method 1

The application of brief high DC voltages to tissue, thereby generating locally high electric fields typically in the range of hundreds of Volts/centimeter can disrupt cell membranes by generating pores in the cell membrane. If the applied electric field at the membrane is larger than a threshold value, the electroporation is irreversible and the pores remain open, permitting exchange of material across the membrane and leading to apoptosis or cell death.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIrreversible electroporation: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

Factors include: cell size, geometry, and orientation within the electric field, the constitution of the cell membrane and organelles, and local temperature.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

creating a local temperature gradient that raises the ablation threshold for urethral tissue and lowers it for prostate tissue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTemperature gradient: Temperature Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS20250099175A1Method and apparatus for rapid and selective transurethral tissue ablation

Publication Date: 2025.03.27 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

Catheter systems, tools and methods are disclosed for the selective and rapid application of DC voltage pulses to drive irreversible electroporation for minimally invasive transurethral prostate ablation. In one embodiment, a switch unit is used to modulate and apply voltage pulses from a cardiac defibrillator, while in another, the system controller can be configured to apply voltages to an independently selected multiplicity or subsets of electrodes. Devices are disclosed for more effective DC voltage application including the infusion of cooled fluid to elevate the irreversible electroporation threshold of urethral wall tissue and to selectively ablate regions of prostate tissue alone.