Multi-scale biophysical principles in clinical irreversible electroporation

Abstract

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a focal ablation methodology that involved generating brief, but intense, electric fields in a target tissue. These electric fields operate on the cell level to electrically perforate-or permeabilize-the cell membrane while maintaining the structural integrity of the extracellular components [12]. The development of IRE technology significantly improved the outcomes of patients with late-stage. A study investigating such outcomes found that the median survival of stage III pancreatic cancer patients rose from 6-13 to 24.9 months in a 200-person study following IRE treatment [31], roughly doubling patient posttreatment survival.