title: The Effects of Irreversible Electroporation on the Colon in a Porcine Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a method of targeted cell ablation which has been suggested as a potential cancer therapy as it leaves structures such as blood vessels and the extracellular matrix intact, thereby allowing the rapid recovery of healthy tissue. Here, we investigated the effects of IRE on the colon in vivo in a porcine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  IRE ablation was performed on the colon walls of 12 female Tibet mini-pigs, creating a total of 24 lesions. Lesions were monitored periodically by endoscopy. The pigs were euthanized 7, 14, 21 or 28 days after IRE ablation and the colons harvested for gross and histological analysis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome (MT) stain and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All pigs tolerated the ablation procedure without serious clinical symptoms or complications. There was no evidence of perforation by endoscopy or gross postmortem examination. All lesions were characterized by necrotic cell death with mild inflammation and hyperemia, with a sharp demarcation between ablated and adjacent normal tissue. A fibrous scar was observed in the ablated colon tissue. Histological analysis revealed damage to each layer of the colon. Histopathology findings also showed the preservation of extracellular structures and the recovery of the ablated colon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The complete ablation of the target area, its rapid recovery and the lack of posttreatment symptoms suggest that IRE ablation may be a promising therapy for tumors located adjacent to or violating the colon wall.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Central Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou, China.
authors.forename: Xianjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Jiannan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Wenlong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, Orthopaedic Hospital of the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Jiuping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Taizhou Central Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou, China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anesthesia, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xulong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Endoscopy, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anesthesia, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Kecheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Institute, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anesthesia, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine (Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lizhi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4221-1143
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020685:Colonoscopes; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers