Feasible Study on Micro-Irreversible Electroporation for Treatment of Periodontal Diseases by Using Miniature Electrodes

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670887
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Periodontology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: KURATA Kosaku 九州大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (00368870)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): AYUKAWA Yasunori 九州大学, 大学病院, 講師 (50304697) ; MORIYAMA Yasuko 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 助教 (50452769)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 歯学 / 歯周病 / 不可逆エレクトロポレーション / 微小電極 / 膜破壊

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we proposed a new contact irreversible electroporation (IRE) by using comb-shaped miniature electrodes. Prior to experiments, electric fields generated by comb-shaped electrodes were evaluated by finite element analysis (FEA). FEA showed that ablation depth was positively correlated with the applied potential and negatively dependent on the ratio of the gap between the electrodes to the anode width. In the experiments, the comb-shaped electrode with the optimal geometry was fabricated by photolithography process. Tissue phantom containing NIH3T3 cells in agarose gel was contacted on the electrode and subjected to the electric pulses. Fluorescent microscopic observation showed that the cells located at a depth less than several tens micrometers from the surface were necrotized by IRE. These results show that the present method is applicable to ablate the outermost surface layer of targeted tissues by application of electric pulses lower than 50 V.

Free Research Field

生体工学，生体熱工学