Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal focal ablation technique that uses needle electrodes to deliver a series of brief (100μs duration) electric pulses into the targeted region. These alter cellular transmembrane potentials, destabilizing the membranes in a manner that kills the cells while sparing major vasculature and other sensitive structures. IRE can therefore be used in regions ineligible for surgical resection or thermal ablation. Treatments result in rapid lesion creation and resolution [1], are unaffected by the blood perfusion “heat sink”, can be planned with numerical modeling [2], and its effects can be readily monitored with various imaging modalities [3]. Therapeutic ire has proven effective in the treatment of experimental [4] and clinical tumors. A human safety study attained complete regression in 46 of 69 tumors ineligible or unresponsive to conventional treatment [5], and veterinary case studies convey its utility in large difficult tumors [6, 7].
Percutaneous Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation with Hypertonic Saline Injection: In Vivo Study in a Rabbit Liver Model