Percutaneous electrochemotherapy in the treatment of portal vein tumor thrombosis at hepatic hilum in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: A feasibility study

Figure 2 Illustrative sketch of the mechanism with which electrochemotherapy operates: After insertion of the electrodes in the tissue, a bleomycin bolus is administered intravenously. Eight minutes after injection, bleomycin diffuses in the tumor tissue. At this point the electric pulses are started in order to alter permeability of cells’ membranes. The electroporation process greatly increases the bleomycin intracellular entrance. Therefore by self repair of the membranes, pores reseal and the bleomycin is entrapped in the cells.