Cycled pulse sequencing to prevent IRE therapy heat damage
This technology is a smarter way to deliver irreversible electroporation (IRE) therapy, a technique that uses electrical pulses to destroy tumors or other unwanted tissue. The core problem with using multiple electrodes simultaneously is that the electrical current generates heat, which can cause unintended thermal burns to surrounding healthy tissue. This patent describes a method of cycling through different pairs of electrodes in a specific sequence, spreading the electrical energy across the target area rather than concentrating it, so the tissue gets enough treatment to be effective while heat buildup is minimized. It applies to systems using both surface and needle electrodes, making it relevant to a range of clinical ablation scenarios.
What you could build
A software-controlled pulse delivery algorithm or firmware module embedded in electroporation therapy systems used by interventional oncologists and surgeons for tumor ablation; medical device companies building or upgrading IRE platforms would be the primary buyers.
Who in Virginia should care
Medtech companies, surgical device OEMs, or defense-adjacent biomedical research organizations with a Virginia presence, as well as academic medical centers like UVA Health, would have interest in licensing or validating this for clinical oncology applications.
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
- Timothy J. O'Brien, Robert E. Neal II, Rafael V. Davalos
- Granted
- April 9, 2024
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 11950835
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.