Therapeutic prostatic thermotherapy
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra, comprising the steps of applying energy to the prostate tissue to elevate the temperature of the prostate tissue to a destination temperature and for a time sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect on said prostate tissue, said energy being applied with a catheter system having:
- a catheter for insertion into the urethra;
a heat applicator within the catheter; and
a connector for connecting the applicator to an energy source;
said energy being applied such that the temperature of the prostate tissue is raised from an initial temperature below the destination temperature to a destination temperature in the range of from 490°
C. to about 57°
C. such that the mean rate of increase in temperature is from about 0.5 minute/°
C. to about 15 minute/°
C.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of treating a prostate in a patient in need thereof and a heating catheter, or an electromagnetic radiation applicator, system suitable for effecting the present inventive method. The present inventive method provides for substantial unexpected improvement in patient outcome by providing, inter alia, a preferred therapeutic temperature for thermotherapy of the prostate and a method of decreasing a patient'"'"'s intolerance due to pain. The present inventive system provides for, inter alia, automatic implementation of the present inventive method.
141 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra, comprising the steps of applying energy to the prostate tissue to elevate the temperature of the prostate tissue to a destination temperature and for a time sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect on said prostate tissue, said energy being applied with a catheter system having:
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a catheter for insertion into the urethra; a heat applicator within the catheter; and a connector for connecting the applicator to an energy source; said energy being applied such that the temperature of the prostate tissue is raised from an initial temperature below the destination temperature to a destination temperature in the range of from 490°
C. to about 57°
C. such that the mean rate of increase in temperature is from about 0.5 minute/°
C. to about 15 minute/°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra, comprising the steps of applying energy to the prostate tissue to elevate the temperature of the prostate tissue to a destination temperature and for a time sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect on said prostate tissue, said energy being applied with a catheter system having:
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a catheter for insertion into the urethra; a heat applicator within the catheter; and a connector for connecting the applicator to an energy source; said energy being applied such that the temperature of tissue proximate the applicator is raised from an initial temperature below the destination temperature to a destination temperature in the range of from 49°
C. to about 57°
C., and a thermal dose of about 1500 equivalent 45°
C. minutes to about 30,000 equivalent 45°
C. minutes is applied to the tissue proximate the applicator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra, comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying power from an energy source to the prostate tissue to elevate the temperature of the prostate tissue to a destination temperature in the range of from about 49°
C. to about 57°
C., such that a mean rate of increase in temperature is from about 0.5 minute/°
C. to about 15 minute/°
C., said power being applied with a catheter system having;a catheter for insertion into the urethra; a heat applicator within the catheter; and a connector for connecting the applicator to the energy source; (b) defining a plurality of desired treatment temperatures increasing from an initial temperature of the prostate tissue to the destination temperature; (c) defining a desired treatment duration for each desired treatment temperature; (d) sensing a temperature representative of the temperature of the prostate tissue; (e) adjusting the power applied by the energy source until a desired treatment temperature is reached; (f) maintaining the desired temperature for the desired treatment duration defined for said desired treatment temperature; (g) repeating steps (d) to (f) until the destination temperature of the prostate tissue is reached; (h) maintaining the destination temperature for a desired period of time; and (i) deactivating the energy source after the destination temperature of the prostate tissue has been maintained for the desired period of time.
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14. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra, comprising the steps of:
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applying energy from an energy source to the prostate tissue to elevate the temperature of the prostate tissue to a destination temperature in the range of from about 49°
C. to about 57°
C., such that a mean rate of increase in temperature is from about 0.5 minute/°
C. to about 15 minute/°
C., said power being applied with a catheter system having;a catheter for insertion into the urethra, a heat applicator within the catheter, and a connector for connecting the applicator to the energy source; sensing a temperature representative of the temperature of the prostate tissue; controlling the energy applied by the energy source based on the sensed temperature until the destination temperature has been reached; maintaining the destination temperature for a desired period of time; and deactivating the energy source after the destination temperature of the prostate tissue has been maintained for the desired period of time. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of treating prostate tissue for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis in a patient having a urethra by means of a catheter system including a catheter for insertion into the urethra, a heat applicator within the catheter and a connector for connecting the heat applicator to an energy source, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a value of power from said energy source to be applied by said applicator; determining a value of temperature of the prostate tissue; adjusting said power from said energy source in dependence on the time the prostate tissue has been at said prostate tissue temperature value; and computing a value of thermal dosage of said prostate tissue that is a function of said prostate tissue temperature value and the time said prostate tissue has been at said prostate tissue temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification