Irreversible electroporation technology for ablation treatment of tumors：recent progress in research / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Irreversible electroporation, known as nano-knife, is a newly-developed technology, which can effectively ablate tumor tissues. This technology uses electric pulse to permanently destroy the double phospholipid layer of the cell membrane in the target area, resulting in tumor cell death. Its tumor ablation effect has already been confirmed in animal experiment as well as in clinical study. As this technology has no thermal effect, the adjacent connective tissue matrix such as blood vessels, nerves and biliary ducts will not be damaged. This article aims to make a brief review about its technical principle and apparatus, and its advantages, disadvantages as well as the recent progress in clinical research will also be discussed.