IRREVERSIBLE ELECTROPORATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ATTENUATING NEOINTIMAL
First Claim
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1. A method of reducing neointima, comprising:
- identifying a target area of an artery of a subject that is partially blocked;
performing a procedure on the blocked target area to unblock the artery in a manner which increases blood flow through the target area of the artery; and
subjecting vascular cells of the target area of the artery to irreversible electroporation (IRE) before neointima occurs in the target area of the artery.
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Abstract
Restenosis or neointimal formation may occur following angioplasty or other trauma to an artery such as by-pass surgery. This presents a major clinical problem which narrows the artery. The invention provides a device and a method whereby vascular cells in the area of the artery subjected to the trauma are subjected to irreversible electroporation which is a non-thermal, non-pharmaceutical method of applying electrical pulses to the cells so that substantially all of the cells in the area are ablated while leaving the structure of the vessel in place and substantially unharmed due to the non-thermal nature of the procedure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of reducing neointima, comprising:
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identifying a target area of an artery of a subject that is partially blocked; performing a procedure on the blocked target area to unblock the artery in a manner which increases blood flow through the target area of the artery; and subjecting vascular cells of the target area of the artery to irreversible electroporation (IRE) before neointima occurs in the target area of the artery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of reducing restenosis, comprising:
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diagnosing a subject as suffering from artery disease; performing balloon angioplasty on a target area of an artery of the subject; positioning electrodes at the target area; and applying controlled electrical pulses to the target area and subjecting the cells of the target area to irreversible electroporation (IRE) before restenosis occurs wherein the IRE is carried out without structural damage to extra-cellular tissue of the target area. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification