Electroporation apparatus with connective electrode template

• US 6,208,893 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oncosec Medical Incorporated (China Grand Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Genetronics, Inc. (Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Günter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/234,770
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20-21, 607/148, 607/108, 607/143, 607/116, 435/173.6, 606/34, 606/41
• US Class Current: 604/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3411 with a plurality of holes, e.g. holes in matrix arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/936 in a transistor or 3-terminal device

Abstract

An electrode template apparatus, includes a three dimensional support member having opposite surfaces, a plurality of bores extending through the support member and through the opposite surfaces, a plurality of conductors on the member separately connected to the plurality of bores, a plurality of needle electrodes selectively extendable through the plurality of bores and into tissue to be electroporated so that each electrode is comcected to at least one conductor for connecting the electrodes to a power supply.

Claims

1. An electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member having opposite surfaces;

a plurality of bores extending through said support member and through said opposite surfaces;

a plurality of conductors on separate levels of said support member between said opposite surfaces and each separately connected to at least one of said plurality of bores;

a plurality of electrodes selectively insertable in said plurality of bores so that each conductor is connected to at least one electrode; and

means for connecting said conductors to a power supply.

2. An electrode apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bores are in a rectangular array, and a plurality of said bores are connected in parallel rows.

3. An electrode apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said rows are at least two in number.

4. An electrode apparatus according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said plurality of electrodes have a needle configuration for insertion into issue.

5. An electrode apparatus according to claim 4 whereon at least one of said plurality of electrodes have a tubular configuration for injection of molecules into issue.

6. An electrode apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of electrodes have a needle configuration for insertion into tissue.

7. An electrode apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said plurality of electrodes have a tubular configuration for injection of molecules into tissue.

8. An electrode apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for connecting said conductors to a power supply comprises a switching circuit adapted to connect said conductors so that electrodes may be activated in multiple pairs and in multiple opposed electrodes in adjacent parallel rows.

9. An electrode apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said electrodes is configured as a drill bit for insertion into bones and the like.

10. An electrode apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bores are disposed in an array of at least two parallel rows.

11. An electrode apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bores are disposed in an array of an unequal number of bores in at least two parallel rows.

12. An electrode apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said rows of an unequal number of bores alternate and extend in transverse directions.

13. An electrode apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bores are laterally offset in an array of at least two parallel rows.

14. An electrode apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said rows are laterally offset in a common direction.

15. An electrode apparatus according to claim 10 wherein alternate bores in each row are connected to a common conductor.

16. An electrode apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said rows and bores are at least four in number.

17. An electrode apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bores are disposed in an array of at least two adjacent circular arrays.

18. An electrode apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for connecting said conductors to a power supply comprises a switching circuit adapted to connect said conductors so that electrodes may be activated in multiple pairs and in multiple opposed electrodes in adjacent parallel rows.

19. An electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member comprising a multi-layer printed circuit board having opposite surfaces;

a plurality of aligned bores extending through said board and through said opposite surfaces;

a conductor on each layer connected to a plurality of the bores on the board;

a plurality of electrodes selectively insertable in said plurality of bores so that each conductor is connected to at least one electrode; and

means for connecting said conductors to a power supply.

20. An electrode apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said bores are in a rectangular array.

21. An electrode apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said the connections of conductors to electrodes on each board are in a line.

22. An electrode apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said rows are at least two in number.

23. An electrode apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said bores are in multiple rows in a rectangular array.

24. An electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member having opposite surfaces;

a plurality of bores extending through said support member and through said opposite surfaces;

a plurality of conductors on said support member and separately connected to at least one of said plurality bores;

a moveable support member is mounted for movement toward and away from said primary support member;

a plurality of electrodes mounted on said moveable support member and slideably mounted in said plurality of bores so that each conductor is connected to at least one electrode, wherein one of said moveable support member and said primary support member is tubular and the other of said moveable support member and said primary support member is telescopically mounted for movement in said one of said support members and wherein said support members are disposed on an end of a catcher; and

means for connecting said conductors to a power supply.

25. A needle electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member having a plurality of support surfaces between opposite parallel surfaces;

a plurality of bores arranged in an array of parallel rows and extending through said support member and through said opposite surfaces;

a plurality of conductors on each of said plurality of support surfaces separately connected to at least one of said plurality of bores;

a plurality of needle electrodes adapted to be selectively mounted in said plurality of bores so that each conductor may be connected to at least one electrode;

at least one of said needle electrodes having a tubular configuration for injection of molecules into tissue and

means for connecting said conductors to a power supply.

26. An electrode apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said bores are in rows of at least two in number.

27. A needle electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member having opposite parallel surfaces;

a plurality of bores arranged in a rectangular any and extending through said support member and through said opposite surfaces;

a plurality of bores arranged in a rectangular array and extending through said support member and through said opposite surfaces;

a plurality of conductors on said support member separately connected to at least one of said plurality of bores;

a plurality of electrodes mounted on said moveable support member and slideably mounted in said plurality of bores so that each conductor is connected to at least one electrode, wherein one of said moveable support member and said primary support member is tubular and the other of said moveable support member and said primary support member is telescopically mounted for movement in said one of said support members, at least one of said needle electrodes having a tubular configuration for injection of molecules into tissue and wherein said support members are disposed on an end of a catheter.

28. An electrode template apparatus for use in electroporation, comprising:

a primary support member comprising multiple printed circuit boards and having opposite surfaces;

a plurality of aligned bores extending through said boards; and

a plurality of conductors on each board separately connected to at least one of said plurality of the bores;

a plurality of electrodes selectively insertable in said plurality of bores so that each conductor is connected to at least one electrode; and

means for connecting said conductors to a power supply.

29. An electrode apparatus according to claim 28 wherein:

said plurality of bores are disposed in a plurality of parallel rows; and

switching means for selectively connecting said conductors to a power supply so that multiple needle electrodes of one plurality oppose multiple needles of an opposite polarity.

30. An electrode apparatus according to claim 29 wherein:

said plurality of parallel rows are at least two in number in each direction; and

switching means is operative for selectively connecting said conductors to a power supply so that all parallel rows of needle electrodes in a given direction are simultaneously pulsed.