Modeling tissue electroporation: effects of electric field direction change between pulses and increased conductivity in post-IRE regions

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal tissue ablation technique that induces tissue ablation by applying high-voltage pulses through electrodes. In this paper, an improved numerical model for tissue IRE ablation, which includes the influence of electric field direction change between pulses and increased conductivity in post-IRE regions is developed for the first time. Our objective is to investigate the impact of these two factors on IRE ablation from a simulation perspective, providing guidance for preclinical treatment planning of tumors. We established a linear relationship between the angle of electric field direction change between previous pulse and latter pulse and the IRE threshold, and applied this relationship and increased conductivity in IRE regions during the previous pulse into modeling the tissue IRE ablation during the latter pulse sequentially. Our study found that, compared to the traditional model, the improved model resulted in a reduction of 14.40 % in IRE area and 9.18 % in electroporation (EP) area over one cycle. The prediction accuracy of the improved simulation model was validated through potato slice experiments. Incorporating changes in electric field direction and increased conductivity in post-IRE regions into the numerical model significantly affects tissue parameters and ablation area. This improved modeling approach provides a more accurate prediction of ablation areas, which can enhance the precision of preclinical treatment planning for tumors.