Modeling electrical power absorption and thermally-induced biological tissue damage

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Thermodynamics
• Materials Science

Background:

• High current flow in biological tissue can cause thermal damage.
• Understanding energy balance is crucial for predicting tissue response.
• Existing models may not fully capture energy absorption mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a thermodynamic model for thermally induced damage in biological tissue.
• To investigate the energy balance between current-induced heat and tissue absorption.
• To correlate tissue damage with temperature thresholds and material properties.

Main Methods:

• Applied the first law of thermodynamics to model energy balance.
• Developed an evolution law for tissue damage activation.
• Utilized the Fung material model to represent tissue's energy absorption characteristics.
• Performed numerical simulations to illustrate model behavior.

Main Results:

• The model quantifies energy produced by current and absorbed by tissue.
• Tissue damage is linked to exceeding a critical temperature threshold.
• The Fung material model demonstrates energy absorption capabilities, mitigating damage.
• Numerical examples validate the model's predictive behavior.

Conclusions:

• The developed thermodynamic model accurately predicts thermally induced tissue damage.
• Material properties significantly influence the extent of damage by affecting energy absorption.
• The model provides a framework for assessing risks associated with electrical current in biological tissues.