title: Case study to assess the safety of irreversible electroporation near the heart.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a promising technique for the focal treatment of soft tissue tumors. Even though the local application of an excessive electric field is a potential cause of cardiac arrhythmias, initial clinical studies have shown that IRE is generally safe when cardiac gating is employed.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case report, we observed an episode of ventricular extrasystoles without hemodynamic changes during which time the synchronization device failed to operate properly, with pulses delivered not in the absolute refractory period but in the relative refractory period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At present, persons performing IRE must keep in mind that there is a small but real risk of synchronization failure even when a cardiac synchronization device is used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is advisable to err on the side of caution when treating lesions near the heart.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Katsutoshi
authors: K
authors: Sugimoto
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Fuminori
authors: F
authors: Moriyasu
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Hirohito
authors: H
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Mayumi
authors: M
authors: Ando
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Takatomo
authors: T
authors: Sano
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Toshifumi
authors: T
authors: Mori
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Furuichi
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Yoshiyuki
authors: Y
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
authors: Ikuo
authors: I
authors: Nakamura
keywords: Arrhythmia; Complication; Irreversible electroporation; Liver; Metastasis; Tumor