JPH05168719A - Thermotherapeutic applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a thermotherapeutic applicator capable of securing the interval between a temperature sensor and an electrode section and performing a safe and correct thermotherapy at a constriction section in particular. CONSTITUTION:In a thermotherapeutic applicator 1 inserted into a celom for a thermotherapy on a lesion in the celom, a flexible balloon 7 surrounding heating electrodes 6 is provided around the heating electrodes 6 supported on a support shaft 2, and the electrodes 6 are arranged in grooves 5 to secure the distance to avoid the effect from the electrodes 6 to a temperature sensor 13 on the balloon 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermotherapy applicator which is inserted into a body cavity to heat a diseased part in the body cavity with electromagnetic waves or high frequencies to perform heat treatment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An applicator for hyperthermia treatment of this type has a high-frequency electrode provided on the outer peripheral surface of an electrode support, and the periphery of the electrode portion is surrounded by the electrode support as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-41971. It is surrounded by a balloon, and a medium for cooling the inner wall surface of the body cavity is perfused inside the balloon. A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the inner wall surface of the body cavity is attached to the balloon.

[0003]

A thermocouple is usually used as the temperature sensor. In general, this thermocouple is used to measure the temperature by detecting a minute electromotive force according to the temperature.Therefore, as with the conventional one described above, it is attached to the balloon around the electrode that is the electromagnetic wave generation source. If so, it can be said that they are easily affected by electromagnetic waves or electric fields. Further, as the distance between the temperature sensor and the electrode becomes shorter, the delicate thermal influence from the electrode cannot be ignored. In particular, when the distance between the temperature sensor and the electrode is several mm or less, a phenomenon in which the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor rises or falls abnormally actually occurs.

Such an abnormal situation is likely to occur when the applicator is inserted into the body cavity and the balloon is crushed by the stenosis of the affected part. At this time, the measurement accuracy is extremely deteriorated due to the above-mentioned factors. As a result, this may cause insufficient heating or excessive heating of the affected area.

In order to avoid this inconvenience, it is conceivable to shift the time for emitting the electromagnetic wave and the time for measuring the temperature, but there is a new drawback that the control is troublesome and complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to ensure a safe and accurate application by ensuring a space between the temperature sensor and the electrode portion even in a narrowed portion. An object of the present invention is to provide an applicator for hyperthermia treatment capable of performing hyperthermia treatment.

[0007]

Means and Actions for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a probe for a thermotherapy applicator which is inserted into a lumen to carry out a thermotherapy of a diseased part in the lumen. A means for preventing a temperature sensor attached to a flexible balloon surrounding a portion provided with a heating electrode supported by the main body from approaching the electrode is provided, and the temperature sensor avoids the influence of the electrode. This is to ensure the distance for temperature measurement.

[0008]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. This thermotherapy applicator 1 has a flexible insertion portion support shaft 2 made of an electrically insulating resin or the like. The electromagnetic wave irradiation part of the applicator 1 is
It is configured at the tip 3 of the support shaft 2. The tip portion 3 of the support shaft 2 is formed to be thicker than the base end side portion of the support shaft 2 except for the most distal end portion 4. A spiral groove 5 is formed on the outer circumference of the large diameter portion of the tip portion 3. An electrode 6 made of a conductive coil is arranged in the groove 5 in contact with the bottom surface of the groove.

The material diameter of the electrode 6 is sufficiently larger than the depth of the groove 5, so that the electrode 6 is arranged deep enough so as not to project outside from the groove 5. That is,
With this configuration, the temperature sensor, which will be described later, constitutes proximity preventing means for ensuring a distance that avoids the influence from the electrode 6. As the electrode 6, the conductive coil may be a bare one as it is, or the surface thereof may be subjected to an insulation treatment.

The large diameter portion of the tip portion 3 of the support shaft 2 is covered with a flexible telescopic elastic balloon 7 which covers the electrode 6. For the balloon 7, a flexible polymer film, for example, a flexible polyethylene film or polypropylene film is used. In order to circulate the cooling liquid inside the balloon 7,
A feed port 8 and a discharge port 9 are formed at the front end portion 3 of the support shaft 2 so as to be divided into front and rear ends.

The feed port 8 communicates with a feed passage 11 formed in the support shaft 2, and the discharge port 9 leads to a discharge passage 12 formed in the support shaft 2. Then, the cooling liquid is fed and discharged from a cooling liquid recirculation source device (not shown) from the near side of the support shaft 2, and the feeding pressure is further increased to inflate the balloon 7.

On the outer surface of the balloon 7, a plurality of temperature sensors 13 made of, for example, thermocouples are attached along the outer surface thereof. The temperature sensor 13 measures the temperature of the affected part 14 in which it is placed. The temperature sensor 13 monitors the temperature of the affected area 14 and controls the degree of heating.

A high frequency cable 16 leading to the electrode 6, a signal cable 17 leading to the temperature sensor 13, a feeding tube 18 leading to the feeding passage 11, and a feeding feeding to the discharge passage 12 are provided at the proximal portion 15 of the support shaft 2 for the insertion portion. The tube 19 is connected. The high frequency cable 16 has its connector 21 connected to a high frequency power supply device (not shown). Temperature sensor 1
The signal cable 17 leading to 3 is connected to a detection / discrimination circuit (not shown). The feeding tubes 18 and 19 are connected to a perfusion device (not shown).

Next, the operation of using the thermotherapy applicator 1 of this construction will be described. This is oral,
It is introduced into luminal organs such as the esophagus, urethra, and fallopian tubes by methods such as transanal and transvaginal. As shown in FIG. 2, when the electromagnetic wave irradiation part of the applicator 1 is positioned on the affected part 14, the balloon 7 is inflated. Then, while irrigating the cooling water passing through the inside of the balloon 7, a high frequency is passed between the electrode 6 and an extracorporeal electrode (not shown) to perform a heating operation. In addition, the temperature of the affected area 14 is measured by the temperature sensor 13, and the affected area 14 is measured.
The heating operation is controlled so that the temperature becomes appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the balloon 7 may be crushed especially when the affected area 14 is a narrowed area. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, it may be crushed until the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 3 of the support shaft 2 comes into contact with the balloon 7, but since the electrode 6 is disposed deeply inside the groove 5, The portion of the temperature sensor 13 does not come too close to the electrode 6. That is, even when the balloon 7 is located in the narrowed portion of the affected area 14, the distance between the electrode 6 and the temperature sensor 13 is maintained, and the influence of electromagnetic noise is reduced. Therefore, the temperature measurement accuracy is stable. It is possible to avoid the phenomenon that the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor 13 abnormally rises and falls as in the conventional case, and always perform stable and accurate temperature measurement. Further, it is not particularly necessary to measure the temperature while avoiding the time when the electromagnetic wave is emitted. Therefore, the heating control circuit can be simplified. Moreover, since the temperature sensor 13 does not contact the electrode 6, the thermal influence from the electrode 6 can be avoided as much as possible. The large diameter portion and the groove 5 in the tip portion 3 of the support shaft 2 may be formed only in the portion where the temperature sensor 13 is provided.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The conductive coil as the electrode 6 is used as the support shaft 2
The tip end portion 3 is wound as it is without forming a groove. Further, when the balloon 7 is crushed by providing the frame-shaped insulating member 25 covering the portion of the electrode 6 corresponding to the portion of the balloon 7 provided with the temperature sensor 13, the temperature sensor 13
Constitutes a means for preventing the above from approaching the electrode 6. As a result, the same operational effect as described above is achieved. Others are the same as those in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The conductive coil as the electrode 6 is used as the support shaft 2
The tip end portion 3 is wound as it is without forming a groove. In addition, the protrusion 26 is formed by increasing the thickness of the balloon 7 toward the inside of the portion of the balloon 7 on which the temperature sensor 13 is provided, and when the balloon 7 is crushed by this, the temperature sensor 13 is crushed. Constitutes a means for preventing the above from approaching the electrode 6. As a result, the same operational effect as described above is achieved. Others are the same as those in the above-described embodiment.

Incidentally, the insulating member 25 and the protrusion 26.
May be formed of an elastic body so as not to damage the living body. Further, the blade portion may be formed integrally with or separately from a part of the support shaft 2, and the blade portion may be spread by itself or another shaft to constitute the electrode proximity preventing means.

7 to 9 show examples of another thermotherapy applicator 30 and its system which can be used in combination with the above-mentioned thermotherapy applicator. As shown in FIG. 7, the applicator 30 forms a balloon 31 made of a polymer piezoelectric material (PVDF) that is not affected by electromagnetic waves,
A lead wire (not shown) is connected to this. Others are the same as those of the applicator 1 described above. The lead wire is guided through the inside of the support shaft 2 and connected to the oscillator 33 through the signal cable 32.
The feeding tube 18 and the feeding tube 19 are connected to the perfusion device 34.

However, according to this configuration, the oscillator 33
By applying a drive signal to the balloon 31 continuously or at predetermined intervals, the balloon 3
1 can be vibrated. When the bubbles 35 adhere to the inner surface of the balloon 31, the balloon 31 can be vibrated to remove the adhered bubbles 35 together with the perfusate.

In FIG. 10, a plurality of bubble removing rods 41 are provided in the balloon 7 in a cantilever manner for the same purpose. The bubble removing rods 41 are made of the polymer piezoelectric material as described above. Made of material (PVDF). Then, a lead wire (not shown) is also connected to this, and this is connected to the oscillator through a signal cable. By applying a drive signal from the oscillator to the balloon 7, the bubble removing rod 41
The air bubbles 42 in the balloon 7 can be removed together with the perfusate by shaking. Further, since the bubble removing rod 41 is flexible, as shown in FIG. 11, when the balloon 7 is deflated, it is folded up with it and the balloon 7 is not damaged.

As shown in FIG. 12, the bubble removing rod 41a extending from the tip side and the bubble removing rod 4 extending from the base side.
You may make it provide 1b facing each other. Further, such a bubble removing means may be applied when removing bubbles in the balloon 7 provided around the ultrasonic transducer portion of the ultrasonic endoscope.

FIG. 13 shows an example in which the electromagnetic wave irradiating section of the applicator for thermotherapy of this kind is the microwave antenna section 45. The microwave antenna part 45 is provided at the tip of the signal cable 46, and the probe 47 is arranged inside the inner sheath 48. Then, the cooling perfusate supplied from the inner sheath 48 is discharged through the outer sheath 49. The tip of the outer sheath 49 is closed by the tip 50. A shield plate 51 is attached to the tip 50. Furthermore, the microwave antenna unit 45
The bubble removing rod 52 as described above is provided in the inner and outer passages of the inner sheath 48 around the periphery of the.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance between the temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the affected area and the heating electrode portion is increased even when the heating treatment is carried out by installing it in the stenosis. Therefore, it is possible to perform safe and accurate warming treatment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in a thermotherapy applicator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the usage state of the thermotherapy applicator.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section of the thermotherapy applicator in the same usage state.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of the thermotherapy applicator.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in the thermotherapy applicator according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in the thermotherapy applicator according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in another thermotherapy applicator.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration of a system that also uses another applicator for thermotherapy.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electromagnetic wave irradiation section of the other applicator for hyperthermia treatment in a use state.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation part in another different applicator for thermotherapy.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the electromagnetic wave irradiating section in the same use state of the thermotherapy applicator.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in another thermotherapy applicator.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an electromagnetic wave irradiation section in still another thermotherapy applicator.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Applicator for thermotherapy, 2 ... Support shaft, 5 ...
Grooves, 6 ... Electrodes, 7 ... Balloons, 8 ... Feed ports, 9 ... Discharge ports, 13 ... Temperature sensors, 25 ... Insulating members, 26 ... Projections.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thermotherapy applicator which is inserted into a lumen to heat-treat a diseased part located in the lumen. A heating electrode supported by a probe body, and a part provided with the heating electrode. For thermal treatment, characterized by comprising a flexible balloon surrounding the circumference of the balloon, a temperature sensor attached to the balloon, and a proximity preventing means for ensuring a distance for avoiding the influence of the temperature sensor from the electrode. applicator.