Modeling the interaction of electric current and tissue: importance of accounting for time varying electric properties.

Time varying computer models of the interaction of electric current and tissue are very valuable in helping to understand the complexity of the human body and biological tissue. The electrical properties of tissue, permittivity and conductivity, are vital to accurately modeling the interaction of the human tissue with electric current. Past models have represented the electric properties of the tissue as constant or temperature dependent. This paper presents time dependent electric properties that change as a result of tissue damage, temperature, blood flow, blood vessels, and tissue property. Six models are compared to emphasize the importance of accounting for these different tissue properties in the computer model. In particular, incorporating the time varying nature of the electric properties of human tissue into the model leads to a significant increase in tissue damage. An important feature of the model is the feedback loop created between the electric properties, tissue damage, and temperature.