The invention discloses an electrochemical device for treating cancer, characterized by using an acupuncture needle as a working electrode to produce hydrogen in a tumor tissue, thereby destroying the tumor tissue through the produced hydrogen gas. The device of the invention has low cost and simple operation, can realize minimally invasive treatment, and is green and environmentally friendly.

A surgically implantable reservoir is provided for implantation into a patient for use in an iontophoresis system for local drug delivery through a target site of internal body tissue. The reservoir comprises a housing having an inner surface defining an enclosed chamber and an inlet opening and an outlet opening for flow of fluid including the drug through the chamber. The housing is capable of interacting with a localized electric field to release the drug. A platform holding an electrode extends inwardly into the chamber from the inner surface of the housing such that the platform and an adjacent portion of the inner surface of the housing define a trough surrounding the platform. Fluid flow through the reservoir from the inlet opening to the outlet opening moves gas bubbles formed by electrolysis from the surface of the electrode and carries the bubbles through the outlet opening.

Methods and apparatus for the reproducible, consistent and efficacious delivery of an HBV vaccine to a subject. The disclosure comprises apparatus for the controlled administration of the HBV vaccine through an orifice to the subject, a plurality of penetrating electrodes arranged with a predetermined spatial relationship relative to the orifice, and an electrical signal generator operatively connected to the electrodes.

An electrical stimulation apparatus includes: a cell cluster container comprising a cell cluster configured to secrete an active material; an indicator container comprising an indicator; a controller configured to apply a stimulation voltage to the cell cluster container based on a sensing signal received from the indicator container; a first entrance connected to the cell cluster container and configured to allow either one or both of the cell cluster to be retracted and a new cell cluster to be injected; and a second entrance connected to the indicator container and configured to allow either one or both of the indicator to be retracted and a new indicator to be injected.

An electrical discharge irrigation device and method is described. An electrical discharge irrigation device includes a power source, a circuit coupled to the power source, and an output tip coupled to the circuit. The output tip includes a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis extending between them, an electrode located in an interior space of the output tip configured to receive an electrical charge from the circuit and to release an electric discharge, and a ground return including an inner surface of the output tip, wherein a space between the electrode and the ground return comprises a conductive medium, the conductive medium being in contact with the electrode and the ground return to produce the electric discharge.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for nerve conduction block. The systems and methods can utilize at least one renewable electrode. The methods can include delivering a first direct current with a first polarity to an electrode proximate nervous tissue sufficient to block conduction in the nervous tissue. Delivering the first direct current can place the nervous tissue in a hypersuppressed state at least partially preventing conduction of the nervous tissue after cessation of delivering of the first direct current. The nervous tissue can be maintained in the hypersuppressed state for a desired period, such as at least about 1 minute.

Apparatus is provided for treating an intervertebral disc of a subject, the apparatus including at least one intra-pulposus exposed electrode surface, which is configured to be implanted in a nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc; and one or more extra-pulposus exposed electrode surfaces, which are configured to be implanted outside the nucleus pulposus, in electrical communication with the intervertebral disc. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the at least one intra-pulposus exposed electrode surface and one or more extra-pulposus exposed electrode surfaces. The control circuitry is configured to treat disc herniation by applying a voltage of less than 1.2 V between the at least one intra-pulposus exposed electrode surface and the one or more extra-pulposus exposed electrode surfaces. Other embodiments are also described.

A minimally invasive penetrating microelectrode array is used to generate localized electric field “hotspots” for delivering biomolecules, such as nucleic acid or protein molecules, into cells located in the epidermal or dermal layer of the skin via transient membrane permeabilization. The “hotspots” can be controlled by selectively insulating the penetrating microelectrodes at specific regions. The portion of microelectrodes that are not covered with insulation coating can be coated with nucleic acid or protein vaccine vector, or other biomolecules to be delivered. Upon insertion into the skin, an anchor microelectrode region mechanically anchors the penetrating microelectrode to position the target tissue microelectrode region, so as to selectively align the biomolecule coating with cells located in the tissue location. The biomolecule coating will dissolve when in contact with surrounding tissue. By applying an electrical pulse, the biomolecules can be delivered into surrounding cells.

A method of treatment includes modifying and/or killing cells by changing the cell membrane charging time to make the cells more susceptible to the influence of electric fields. The method may further include inserting one or more electrodes into tissue, acquiring a temperature of the tissue, delivering electrical energy to the tissue by electrical pulses, determining a rate of energy delivery of the electrical energy such that the temperature rises above a first critical temperature but remains below a second critical temperature, and delivering the electrical energy until a specific dose is achieved.

A method is provided for treating an intervertebral disc of a subject, the method including delivering cells to a nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc. At least one intra-pulposus exposed electrode surface is implanted in the nucleus pulposus. At least one extra-pulposus exposed electrode surface is implanted in a body of the subject outside the nucleus pulposus. The delivered cells are supported by activating control circuitry to drive the intra-pulposus and the extra-pulposus exposed electrode surfaces to electroosmotically drive nutrient-containing fluid into the nucleus pulposus. Other embodiments are also described.