Method and apparatus for thermal therapy of tumors
First Claim
1. An apparatus for applying thermal therapy to tissue, comprising:
- (a) a tubular ultrasound transducer;
(b) a cylindrical support member, said support member extending coaxially through said transducer;
(c) a power lead, said power lead electrically connected to said transducer;
(d) a sealant coating over said transducer; and
(e) an outer cover over said sealant coating, wherein said sealant coating is disposed between and in contact with said transducer and said outer cover, and wherein said transducer is thereby directly implantable in a patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound applicator for thermal therapy, having a multi-element array of plastic or rubber coated piezoceramic tubular transducers, each with separate power control and supported by a coaxially disposed semi-flexible central tube, which can be placed directly within the tumor or target region, or within a body lumen such as a blood vessel or body cavity such as the urethra, or within a separate delivery catheter or system. Thermocouple sensors embedded in the coating over each transducer can be used for continuous monitoring of the tissue/applicator interface temperatures for feedback control of the power applied to each transducer. The transducers are resonant across the wall thickness and radiate energy in the radial direction. The applicator provides an air-cooling system which can control the temperature of the transducers and thereby improve heating characteristics. In the primary configuration, the central tube is a catheter which is compatible with remote afterloaders and standard brachytherapy technology, and facilitates the delivery of interstitial thermal therapy in conjunction with simultaneous brachytherapy or radiotherapy from within the applicator. For alternate forms of therapy or when the radiation source is not in the catheter, the central catheter can be used to circulate temperature regulated air or water to control the surface temperature of the applicator, or to infuse drugs. Further, the applicator can be placed within a thin-walled implant catheter and flushed with temperature controlled circulating coupling fluid to control the temperature of the catheter/tissue interface, or used in conjunction with other conventional delivery systems, instead of being used interstitially.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for applying thermal therapy to tissue, comprising:
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(a) a tubular ultrasound transducer; (b) a cylindrical support member, said support member extending coaxially through said transducer; (c) a power lead, said power lead electrically connected to said transducer; (d) a sealant coating over said transducer; and (e) an outer cover over said sealant coating, wherein said sealant coating is disposed between and in contact with said transducer and said outer cover, and wherein said transducer is thereby directly implantable in a patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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7. An apparatus tier applying controlled thermal therapy to a tumor, comprising,
(a) a support member; -
(b) a plurality of electrically isolated spaced-apart tubular ultrasound transducers received over said support member; and (c) a plurality of power leads, each said power lead electrically connected to a corresponding one of said transducers wherein each said transducer can be powered independently through its corresponding power lead. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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28. A method of heating tissue in a patient for ultrasound thermal therapy, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting an ultrasound applicator within a target region in said tissue of said patient, said ultrasound applicator comprising a support member extending coaxially through an ultrasound transducer and a power lead electrically connected to said transducer; (b) applying RF power to said power lead; (c) heating said tissue with said applicator; and (d) infusing a drug into said tissue through said support member.
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29. A method for thermal therapy of tissue in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting an ultrasound applicator within a target region in said tissue of said patient, said ultrasound applicator comprising a cylindrical support member extending coaxially through a plurality of spaced-apart tubular ultrasound transducers and a plurality of power leads, each said power lead electrically connected to a said one of said transducers; (b) applying RF power to said power leads; (c) heating said tissue with said applicator; and (d) infusing a drug into said tissue through said support member.
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30. A directly implantable applicator for thermal therapy of tumors, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrically isolated spaced-apart tubular ultrasound transducers; (b) a support member extending through said transducers; (c) a plurality of power leads, each said power lead electrically connected to a corresponding one of said transducers wherein each said transducer can be powered independently through its corresponding power lead; (d) a plurality of temperature sensors, each said temperature sensor positioned adjacent to a corresponding one of said transducers; (e) a plurality of temperature sensor leads, each said temperature sensor lead electrically connected to a corresponding one of said temperature sensors; (f) a sealant coating over said transducer; and (g) an outer cover over said sealant coating, wherein said sealant coating is disposed between and in contact with said transducer and said outer cover, and wherein said transducer is thereby directly implantable in a patient. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification