Treatment of Infiltrative Superficial Tumors in Awake Standing Horses Using Novel High-Frequency Pulsed Electrical Fields.
Authors: Byron Christopher R, DeWitt Matthew R, Latouche Eduardo L, Davalos Rafael V, Robertson John L
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) represents a significant advance for treating superficial tumours in horses, addressing a longstanding practical limitation of conventional electroporation techniques. Traditional irreversible electroporation requires general anaesthesia and neuromuscular blockade because prolonged electrical pulses trigger severe muscle contractions; H-FIRE overcomes this by delivering much shorter pulses (0.5–2 microseconds versus 50–100 microseconds) through bipolar electrodes placed directly in tumour tissue, thereby ablating malignant cells without stimulating skeletal muscle. In a proof-of-concept study of five horses with infiltrative superficial tumours, H-FIRE successfully ablated tumour volume in all cases whilst maintaining standing sedation, with no adverse effects or complications reported. The ability to perform this procedure in an awake, standing horse under field conditions eliminates the risks, costs and logistics associated with general anaesthesia, making H-FIRE particularly valuable for treating common equine cutaneous lesions such as squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma in outpatient settings. For practitioners managing equine skin tumours, this technique offers a genuinely novel alternative that warrants further clinical investigation to establish protocols, efficacy rates and long-term recurrence data.
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Practical Takeaways
- •H-FIRE offers a potential outpatient alternative to surgery or traditional electroporation for superficial tumors, eliminating anesthesia risks and hospitalization costs
- •Horses can be treated while standing and conscious, reducing stress and recovery time compared to general anesthesia
- •This technology may be particularly useful for managing common cutaneous tumors like squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma in field or clinic settings
Key Findings
- •H-FIRE technology successfully ablated tumor volume in all 5 treated horses without general anesthesia
- •Treatment was tolerated well by standing, awake horses with no complications reported
- •High-frequency pulsed electrical fields (0.5-2 μs duration) prevented unwanted muscle contractions associated with conventional electroporation