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SIR 2025

Interventional Oncology

Scientific Session

Session: Interventional Oncology - Basic Science

Transarterial Irreversible Electroporation of Soft Tissue with a Novel Non-occlusive Catheter-Mounted Electrode: A Feasibility Animal Experiment

Wednesday, April 2, 2025
11:42 AM – 11:51 AM CT
Location: Music City Center, 207 CD
Purpose: Tumor encasement and/or infiltration of major arteries is typically considered a contraindication to surgical resection. This study evaluates the feasibility and safety of transarterial soft tissue ablation by irreversible electroporation (IRE) using a prototype novel non-occlusive catheter mounted electrode in a porcine model.

Materials and Methods:

This is a prospective single-center Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved study. Transarterial intra-vascular IRE was undertaken in four arterial targets (superior mesenteric, renal, external iliac and common femoral arteries), in five female Yorkshire pigs. All ablations were performed using a single treatment condition (2000 V, 90 μs, 70 pulses at 1.5 Hz), without ECG gating. Digital subtraction arteriography was used to evaluate for immediate post-IRE arterial patency and/or vascular complications. Animals were then euthanized at 4 hours, 2 days and 28 days following treatment. Treated arteries were harvested for histopathologic analysis.





Results: IRE was successfully performed in a total of 19 vessels across 5 pigs with no immediate imaging evidence of vascular damage including dissection, thrombosis or perforation. Histopathology analysis of treated arteries demonstrated cell death in the artery involving the intima and media in a 360º fashion with preservation of the basement membrane and adventitia. Ablation depth in the surrounding soft tissue was site-dependent with skeletal muscle showing ~5 mm of penetration.

Conclusion: Transarterial catheter directed IRE is feasible and safe. Future studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique and to validate the potential application of the catheter in the treatment of peri-vascular tumor infiltration.