泌尿科实践中电穿孔的整合：新型经尿道电极的设计与评估
2026年3月20日
本文提出了一种使用新开发的内镜电极，兼容标准泌尿设备，进行经尿道钙离子穿孔的简便且可重复的方法。该研究是电穿孔经尿道应用的重要进展，为尿路肿瘤创新和微创治疗的扩展铺平了道路。
本研究评估了一种经尿道电极用于猪膀胱电穿孔，评估其可用性、性能及与标准泌尿技术的兼容性。缺乏合适的仪器导致膀胱内电穿孔受限。该方案引入了兼容且用户友好的经尿道电极。
首先，准备手术所需的设备。将望远镜插入带有工作通道的桥梁中，并将仪器插入鞘中。生理盐水时，用静脉输液管连接到鞘的冲洗系统。
在用生理盐水填充管子并排开空气后，将相机头和照明线连接到望远镜底座上。将电极手柄处的无菌绝缘电缆连接到外部脉冲发生器处的干净绝缘电缆。设置八次脉冲，每脉冲100微秒。
将频率设置为5,000赫兹，电压为400伏，对应屏幕上指定场中电压与电极距离比值1000伏每厘米。将膀胱镜针从无菌包装中取出，并将针尖长度调整为两毫米。准备一瓶100毫克/毫升的葡萄糖酸钙，按需装入一个或多个注射器。
将注射器，最好是诱饵锁定注射器连接到膀胱镜针的远端。把猪放在手术台上，准备手术。打开切除镜的灌溉系统，确认盐水流量。
插入切除镜，通过视线引导通过尿道进入膀胱。将膀胱镜针穿过桥梁的工作通道，观察针头尖端。对动物进行膀胱镜检查并检查膀胱。
然后，向膀胱壁注射0.3毫升100毫克/毫升的葡萄糖酸钙，形成膀胱壁囊泡，并根据需要重复钙注射。取出望远镜，留下外层保护套留在尿道内。接着，拆除桥梁，将望远镜插入经尿道电极。
在目视引导下，将望远镜和电极插入护套内膀胱。将电极针插入覆盖葡萄糖酸钙注射区域的组织中。然后，使用脚踏板施加电脉冲，或让非无菌助手操作外部脉冲发生器来施加脉冲。
脉搏传递时，可能会出现轻微的肌肉收缩。通过读取外部脉冲发生器产生的脉冲，确认电脉冲完成并成功传递脉冲。最后，当所有注射葡萄糖酸钙的区域都电插完毕，取出望远镜和电极，并为动物提供术后护理。
该方案使研究人员能够在临床相关模型中研究经尿道钙离子电穿孔的可用性、安全性和性能。治疗过程中，准确放置电极和清晰观察对于确保脉搏准确传递和有效治疗至关重要。未来研究将包括首批人体研究，以评估钙电穿孔治疗膀胱肿瘤的临床安全性、可行性和治疗效果。
Overview
This study addresses the challenge of treating bladder tumors by introducing a novel transurethral electrode designed for calcium electroporation. The research evaluates the electrode's technical performance and clinical usability in a porcine model, aiming to facilitate seamless integration into existing urological procedures.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Uro-oncology
- Medical device engineering
- Electroporation technology
Background
- Bladder tumors remain a significant health concern with limited recent therapeutic advances.
- Electroporation uses electric pulses to permeabilize cell membranes for cytotoxic effects or drug/gene delivery.
- Calcium electroporation is a specific approach using calcium ions to induce cell death.
- Adoption in uro-oncology has been limited by the lack of suitable instruments.
Purpose of Study
- To design a new transurethral electrode compatible with standard urological instruments.
- To assess the electrode's technical performance and usability in a porcine bladder model.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of calcium electroporation using this device.
Methods Used
- Design of a fixed-geometry electrode with two opposing arrays of three needles each.
- Integration with a transurethral resectoscope for endoscopic procedures.
- Calcium injection into the porcine bladder wall followed by electrode placement.
- Application of electric pulses (8 pulses, 100 μs, 5000 Hz, 400 V; 1000 V/cm voltage to electrode distance ratio).
Main Results
- The electrode was successfully inserted and positioned using standard urological techniques.
- Electric pulses were delivered effectively to the targeted bladder area.
- The device's handling and operation closely mirrored established procedures.
- Performance in the porcine model suggests compatibility with human urological practice.
Conclusions
- The new transurethral electrode enables effective calcium electroporation in the bladder.
- Its design allows seamless adaptation by urologists familiar with standard instruments.
- This innovation may facilitate broader adoption of electroporation therapies in uro-oncology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Executive Industry Relevance
Integrating electroporation into urological practice addresses a longstanding gap in bladder tumor intervention by enabling precise, localized delivery of cytotoxic or therapeutic agents. The development of a transurethral electrode compatible with standard urological instruments supports seamless adoption and operational continuity. This innovation enhances predictive confidence at the device-therapy interface, directly impacting early translational and preclinical evaluation in uro-oncology portfolios.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Enables direct interrogation of electroporation-mediated cytotoxicity and drug delivery in disease-relevant tissue.
- Supports mechanistic de-risking by providing controlled, reproducible electric field exposure in preclinical models.
- Facilitates functional validation of electroporation as a modality for bladder tumor intervention.
Screening & Assay Development
- Prepares validated biological systems for downstream evaluation of electroporation parameters and therapeutic payloads.
- Standardizes electrode placement and pulse delivery, supporting reproducibility and quantitative assessment.
- Enables scalable, platform-based screening of electroporation protocols in urological tissues.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Aligns with disease-relevant porcine models to bridge discovery and preclinical validation phases.
- Supports risk-adjusted advancement decisions by demonstrating technical feasibility and procedural compatibility.
- Provides a foundation for translational biomarker development and therapy optimization in bladder cancer research.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
This electrode design positions electroporation as a modular capability from early discovery through preclinical validation in uro-oncology workflows.
- Discovery Biology: Enables hypothesis testing of electroporation-mediated effects in anatomically relevant models.
- Screening: Delivers standardized, reproducible electric pulses for comparative protocol evaluation.
- Analytics: Supports quantitative measurement of tissue response and procedural endpoints.
- Translational Research: Bridges device feasibility in animal models to potential human application.
- Enterprise Reuse: Provides a reusable platform for iterative protocol development and cross-study standardization.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence and reduces mechanistic ambiguity in electroporation-based interventions.
- Operational Value: Promotes standardization, reproducibility, and seamless integration with existing urological workflows.
- Strategic Value: Enables informed go/no-go decisions and capital-efficient advancement of device-enabled therapies.
- Portfolio Impact: Supports risk-adjusted prioritization of electroporation modalities in uro-oncology pipelines.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires expertise in urological instrumentation and electroporation protocols.
- Depends on access to compatible resectoscopes and external pulse generators.
- Necessitates cross-team standardization for device assembly and procedural alignment.
- Adaptable to porcine and potentially human bladder models with similar instrumentation.
- Limited to preclinical feasibility until further clinical validation is achieved.
