Electrical probe that ablates brain tumors and opens
This technology uses precisely controlled electrical pulses delivered through a probe inserted into the brain to destroy tumor cells via irreversible electroporation (IRE) — essentially punching permanent holes in cancer cell membranes until they die. A key feature is that the pulses alternate positive and negative polarities, which improves the disruption while minimizing heat buildup that could damage surrounding healthy tissue. The electrical pulses also temporarily break down the blood-brain barrier, a normally protective wall that blocks most drugs from reaching the brain, allowing a therapeutic agent to flood the treated area immediately after the electrical treatment. Cooling mechanisms are incorporated to further protect healthy tissue during the procedure.
What you could build
A minimally invasive neurosurgical device system — probe, pulse generator, and cooling unit — that first ablates brain tumor tissue with electrical pulses and simultaneously opens the blood-brain barrier to enable immediate localized drug delivery; the primary buyers would be neurosurgical device companies and hospital neurosurgery centers.
Who in Virginia should care
Inova Health System, VCU Health's neurosurgery program, and defense-adjacent medical device developers in Northern Virginia would be plausible partners or licensees given the clinical focus and proximity to academic medical centers.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Rafael V. Davalos, Paulo A. Garcia, John L. Robertson, John H. Rossmeisl, Robert E. Neal II
- Granted
- March 30, 2021
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10959772
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.