Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
High-Throughput Capable Three-Dimensional Tissue Model for Quantification of Electroporation Thresholds
Published on: August 19, 2025
Bronchoscopy-guided synergistic pulsed irreversible electroporation ablation as a novel intervention therapy for lung
Jisong Zhang1, Hongmei Liu2, Chenguo Yao3
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China.
Objective:
To assess the feasibility and safety of bronchoscopy-guided synergistic pulsed irreversible electroporation (S-IRE) for ablating pulmonary tissues.
Methods:
Three Bama pigs underwent bronchoscopy-guided S-IRE ablation at pulmonary target sites (near airways, vessels, pleura, and parenchyma), using synergistic microsecond and nanosecond pulses (S-IRE) delivered via a catheter. Tissue samples were collected at postoperative days 3 and 28. Preoperative and postoperative assessments, including blood biochemistry, coagulation function tests, computed tomography (CT) assessment and histopathological examination, were conducted.
Results:
All procedures were successfully completed without complications such as muscle twitching, bleeding, pneumothorax, or cardiac issues. Preoperative and serially postoperative CT imaging demonstrated immediate post-procedural changes within the ablation zone, characterized by high-density areas with minimal peripheral exudation. Postoperative pathological examination found well-demarcated ablation zones, distinct from the surrounding tissues. A clearly defined ablation zone was evident on CT by postoperative day 3. Subsequently, the zone exhibited progressive reduction in size and absorption over time. By postoperative day 28, the ablation zone had undergone significant reduction in size, exhibiting indistinct borders, being filled with granulation tissue, and indicating progressive healing. Throughout the follow-up period, imaging showed no evidence of filling defects or lumen stenosis within adjacent blood vessels or bronchi.
Conclusion:
This porcine model provides preliminary evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of bronchoscopy-guided S-IRE. As a novel natural orifice, non-thermal physical ablation technique, it may offer a safe, effective, and minimally invasive therapeutic choice for patients with pulmonary malignant nodules located adjacent to critical structures or deemed unsuitable for surgical resection.
