Towards the development of latent heat storage electrodes for electroporation-based therapies

Phase change materials (PCMs) capable of storing a large amount of heat upon transitioning from the solid-to-liquid state have been widely used in the electronics and construction industries for mitigating temperature development. Here, we show that they are also beneficial for reducing the peak tissue temperature during electroporation-based therapies. A numerical model is developed of irreversible electroporation (IRE) performed with hollow needle electrodes filled with a PCM. Results indicate that this electrode design can be utilized to achieve large ablation volumes while reducing the probability for thermal damage.