Computer simulation of commercial conductive gels and their application to increase the safety of electrochemotherapy treatment

Abstract

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) exploits the phenomenon of electroporation, which is the increase of cell permeability through the application of an electrical field. This technique is applied in medical centers in Europe and in veterinary clinics in Europe, Brazil, and Argentina. ECT treatment requires a minimum electric field and anti-cancer drugs (e.g., bleomycin). Irregularly shaped tumors may induce ECT treatment failure because of irregular electric field distribution. Conductive gels have been suggested as a means to increase the homogeneity of the electrical field distribution. The aim of this work was to evaluate if commercial conductive gels could increase the safety of ECT. A veterinary case study of ECT in a dog provided the tumor dimensions for the numerical model. Electrode displacement and commercial conductive gels were simulated to determine if they improved ECT treatments. We conclude that a commercial gel having a conductivity of 0.2 S/m when used in combination with effective treatment planning may improve the outcome of electrochemotherapy procedures.