Luis Cuenca Dacal

PhD Student
Electronic Engineering Department
Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)

Research line: Energy-Based Therapies
PhD Supervisors: Ana González-Suárez and Juan José Pérez-Martínez

Doctoral Thesis

Computational Modeling and Experimentation to Improve the Safety and Efficacy of Radiofrequency Cardiac Ablation

This doctoral research combines computational modeling and laboratory experiments to investigate how radiofrequency energy heats and affects cardiac tissue during ablation. The aim is to improve the understanding of factors that influence treatment safety and efficacy. The research plan proposes multiphysics models that couple electrical, thermal, and mechanical behavior, with finite element simulations evaluated against experiments in ex vivo tissue.

One focus is the reliability of temperature measurements, including whether sensors inserted into tissue alter the electrical and thermal conditions they are intended to measure. The work also examines epicardial ablation, considering the effects of fat thickness, ventricular wall thickness, surrounding fluid, and nearby structures. Further modeling will explore tissue deformation and electrode displacement before, during, and after energy delivery.

A longer-term objective is to develop more realistic, patient-specific models using medical imaging and improved descriptions of tissue properties. These models will help investigate overheating, vapor formation, and potential injury to adjacent organs, including the esophagus and lungs. Experimental temperature measurements will support model validation. This description summarizes the doctoral research plan and its objectives, rather than completed clinical findings.