Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This is a division of Canadian patent
application filed January 18, 1984 under serial No.
445,540.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a device for
hyperthermia and, more specifically, it relates to a
high-frequency heating electrodes dev:ice, in
particular, a high-frequency electrodes device for
medical use which can be applied to the hyperthermia
therapy of tumors or cancer.
This invention further relates to an
improvement of at least one of paired electrodes for
use in the high-frequency device for hyperthermia.
High-frequency hyperthermia therapy has been
known in which the high-frequency energy, typically
radio-frequency energy, is applied to a lesion portion
of a patient in the form of heat for therapy where the
nature of the cancer that the cancer cells are less
resistant to heat or elevated temperature than normal
cells is utilized.
As one of the techniques for overcoming the
hereinbelow described problems of conventional
high-frequency heating systems, it has been attempted
to dispose a pointed electrically conductive member
such as a metallic needle at the aimed or intended part
to be heated for locally applying the heat t.hereto by
concentrating the electric field between the opposed
- 2 ~ 7~7
plate-like electrodes on the aimed part around the
metallic needle. Although this technique is effec-tive
for concentrating the electric field on -the aimed part,
it is not always preferred because surgical skills are
required for inserting and extracting the metallic
needle or the like, and because much pain is given to
the patient for the technique is essentially invasive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention has been made in view of the
foregoings and the object thereof is -to provide an
endotract electrode for use in a device for
radio-frequency hyperthermia, which is adapt:ed to be
disposed in a tract organ of a living body; it
comprises a flexible electrode element for producing a
spatially inhomogeneous radio-frequency electric field
and a flexible bag-like member adapted to be fitted on
an inner surface of the tract organ and surrounding the
flexible electrode element. A flexible tube serves to
introduce and discharge a cooling liquid into and out
of an inside of the flexible bag-like member.
Further object of this invention is to
provide the first or endotract electrode which has
little risk of giving an excessive pressure to a wall
of the tract organ.
According to this invention, the further
object can be attained by the first or endotract
electrode wherein the bag-like member cornprises a
_ 3 _ ~2~57~7
flexible bag-like member having sizes large enough to
be contacted with an inner surface of the tract organ
without being expanded.
Still further object of this invention is to
provide the first or endotract electrode which enables
to heat or warm the region at the deep inside of the
living body at a desired temperature.
According to this invention, the still
further object can be attained by the first or
endotract electrode wherein the first electrocle further
comprises means for detecting a temperature fi.xed on an
outer surface of the flexible bag-like member having
sizes large enough to be contacted with an inner
surface of the tract organ without being expanded.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Hereinafter, the invention will be described
in more detail by referring to the accompanying
drawings, by which the foregoing and other objects, as
well as the features of this invention will. be made
clearer, in which:
Figure 1 and Figure 2 are schematic
explanatory views of a conventional medical heating
device, Figure 2 corresponding to a cross section along
line II - II in Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a schematic explanatory view of a
preferred embodiment of a device for hyperthermia
according to this invention,
_ 4 _ ~ S~7
Figure ~ is an explanatory graph showing a
spatial distribution of the electric field produced by
the device shown in Figure 3,
Figure 5 is an explanatory graph showing a
spatial distribution of the consumption of the
high-frequency energy or power given by the device
shown in Figure 3,
Figure 6 is an explanatory view for
illustrating the mode of heating by the device shown in
Figure 3, - ~ /
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Figure 7 is a schematic explanatory vi~w of another
preferred embodiment of a device for hyperther,mïa according to
this invention,
Figure 8 is an explanatory view for illustrating the
mode of heating by the device shown in Figure 7"
Figures 9 is a schematic explanatory v:iew showing an
application of the device of Figure 7,
Figure 10 is an explanatory sectional view along line
X - X in Figure 9,
Figure 11 is an explanatory sectional view showing the
detail of a first or endotract electrode of one preferred em~odi-
ment according to this invention,
Figure 12 is an explanatory view showing the detail
of a first or endotract electrode of another preferred embodiment
according to this invention,
Figure 13 is an explanatory sectional view of the
electrode along a line XIII - XIII in Pigure 12~
Figure 14 is an explanatory enlarged view of a portion
XI~ in Figure 12,
Figure 15 is an e~planator~ sectional view of the
electrode alons a line XV - XV in Figure 12,
~ Figure 16 is an explanator~ sectional view of the
¦l electrode along a line XVI - XVI in Figure 12,
Figure 17 is an explanatory sectional view, similar
to Figure 16, of the electrode in which a bag-like member is
in a folded state,
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Figure 18 is an explanatory view of a
connector for thermocouples of the electrode of Fiyure
12,
Figure 19 and Figure 20 are explanatory views
of one example of a second electrode structure,
Figure 21 through 23 are explanatory views of
an example where heat is applied to the dog's esophagus
by using the electrodes shown in Figure 11 and 19, in
which
Figure 21 is an explaratory sectional view
showing an arrangement of the paired electrodes,
Figure 22 is an enlarged secti.onal view
showing a region near the esophagus shown in Figure 21,
and
Figure 23 is a graph show1ng the changes in
the temperatures at various parts durina heating with
respect to time, and
Figure 24 and 25 are graphs showing the
changes in the temperatures with respect to time during
heating by usinc the endotract electrode of Figure 12
and the electroae for comparison respec~ivel~y.
DESCRIPTION OF CONVENTIONAL TECHNI~UES
The hyperthermia therapy has been carrieà out
n the conventional high-frequency heatina techniques,
for lnstance as shown ln Figure 1 anà 2, by disposing a
pair of plate-like electrodes 4, 5 on opposea surface
positions of a living body 1 so that a. region 3
including a part 2 to be heated of the living body 1
-- 6 --
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may be situated between the two plate-like electrodes 4
and 5, and by supplying a high-frequency current from a
high-frequency power supply 6 through the electrodes 4,
5 disposed on the sides of the belly and the back.
However, the high-frequency currents pass
substantially in parallel throughout the region 3
between the opposing electrodes 4, 5 according to this
conventional technique, which results in the
undesirable heating of portions other than the part or
portion 2 intended to be heated. Moreover, there is
fear that a subcutaneaous fat layer 7 may be heated
more strongly than the intended portion 2 due to the
differences in the electric properties or factors such
as the electric conductivity and the dielectric
constant between the subcutaneaous fat layer 7 and the
tissue of the tract organ including the lesion part 2.
It has thus been difficult to heat or warm t;he lesion
part 2 at the deep inside of the living body to a
temperature desired for the hyperthermia therapy
because of the patient's complaint about heat and the
risk of scalding of the epidermis tissue.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The device for hyperthermia according to this
invention using an endotract first electrode of this
invention will be outlined referring to Figure 3
through 8. In Figure 3, coaxially disposed cylindrical
first electrode 10 (radius:a) and a hollow cylindrical
second electrode 11 (radius: b ~ a) are connected
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respectively to a high-frequency power supply 12. It
is assumed here for the sake of simp:Licity of
explanation that the space between the two electrodes
1~
~ - 7a -
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filled with an isotropic medium having constant electric properties
in view of an electric conductivity and a dielectric constant.
Neglecting the distortion of the electric field :near the upper
and lower ends of the electrodes 10 and 11, the lines of elec-
tric force are expanded radially in the region between the two
electrodes 10, 11 and the electric field intensity E is decreased
in an inverse proportion to the distance r from a central axis 13
in the form of E ~ l/r as shown in Figure 4. Since the amount
of heat generation W per unit volume is represented by ~electric
conductivity) x (electric field intensity)2 for a unit period of
time, the amount of heat generation or power consumption W
changes in an inverse proportion to r2 in the form of W ~ 1/r2
as shown in Figure 5, whereby a region 14 near t.he first electrode
10 is strongly or intensely heated much more tha.n the other
region as shown in Figure 6.
While on the other hand, in a case where a cylindrical
first electrode 15 an~ a second electrode 16 in the shape of an
arcuate or curved plate formed by a portion O r t:he hollow
cylindrical electrode 11 are connected to a high-frequency power
supply 17 as shown in Fig. 7, the distribution o- the electric
field can not be expressed in such a simple manner as in Figure
4, but it will be qualitatively true that the region OI the
relative strong electric field or the selective]y heated region
is situated near the first electrode 15 while deviated or shifted
toward the second electrode 16 as shown by a reierence numeral
18 in Figure 8. The second electrode 16 may he replaced by a
flexible plate-like member such as a flexible p:late or a mesh
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in the form of a plate.
In the actual heating or warming of the living body,
althou~h the distribution of the electric field is complicated
due to the uneveness or variation in the electric properties,
i.e. electric conductivity and dielectric constant:, depending
on parts of the living body, it is true that a certain region
near the first electrode is heated much stronger t:han the other
regions.
What is required for the first electrode adapted to be
disposed in the tract of the living body is that t:he first
electrode, more specifically metallic portion of t:he first
electrode, should be thin enough to be disposed OI. inserted in
the tract organ and has an outer surface entirely of a large
curvature so that the intensity or magnitude of the electric
field near the first electrode is greater than that near the
second electrode. The first electrode may have a shape of
elliptic tube, square tube or the like instead of the circular
tube or hollow cylinder. The first electrode may be composed of
multiple small conductors such as conductor segments or conduc-
tive wires connected electrically to each other. Although it
is preferred that the first electrode is constitu1ed in the form
of a hollow structure so as to define a passage for cooling
medium therein as described later, it may be of a solid structure~
The second electrode may also be composéd of multiple
conductive members connected electrically to each other instead
of a sheet of curved or flat conductor plate, so :Long as an area
5~
of the second electrode is entirely or generally formed larger
than that of the firs~ electrode, so that the e].ectric field
near and at a part of the second electrode in contact with the
living body is relatively weaker than that near the first
electrode.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate an example of an application
of the device for hyperthermia 100 similar to the device shown
in Figs. 7 and 8 to therapy of the tumors 101 in the esophagus
102.
In Figs. 9 and 10, the high-frequency heating device
comprises a first or endotract electrode 103 adapted to be
disposed in the esophagus 102 of a living body 104, a second
or outer electrode lOS having smaller curvature as a whole than
the endotract electrode 103 and adapted to be di.sposed on an
outer circumference or surface of the living bocly 104 such that
the outer electrode 105 is opposed to the endotxact electrode
103 so as to position the lesion portion to be heated 101 there-
between, and a high-frequency power supply 106 of adjustable
output fre~uency and power for example, adapted to pass a high-
frequency current of the order o~ 3 to 30 MHz at: the power o-
about 10 to 300 ~' through the paired electrodes 103, 105. The
lesion portion to be heated 101 which is situated between the
electrodes 103, 105 and near the endotract elect.rode 103 can be
selectively heated by this device 100, because higher or stronger
electric field will be produced in the vicinity of the endotract
electrode 10~ having larger curvature than the outer electrode 105
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One preferred embodiment of the first or endotract
electrode according to this invention will now be clescribed more
in detail referring to Figure 11.
Figure 11 shows a longitudinal cross section of an
endotract electrode 20 as the first electrode including an
electrode element 21. The hollow cylindrical first: electrode
element 21 is disposed or fixed on an outer cylindrical tube 22
as a support and connected by means of a lead wire 24 extended
through an inner cylindrical tube 23 to one terminal 80 of the
output terminals 80, 81 of a high-frequency power supply 53.
Another terminal 81 is for the second electrode (not shown).
The inner cylindrical tube 23 and the outer cylindrical tube 22
serve as a water introducing or charging pipe and a water dis-
charging pipe as described later. It is desired that the elec-
trode 20 is formed flexible so that it can be inserted into and
extracted from a tract organ having a lesion portion to be
subjected to hyperthermia therapy or heating treat~ment. Therefore,
it is desired that the inner cylindrical tube 23 and the outer
cylindrical tube 22 are made of polymeric material such as
rubber, soft vinyl chloride or silicone and the electrode 21 is
preferably composed of flexible component(s) such as metal foil(s)
or braided metal wires made of copper or the like.
Reference will now be made to the water passing system
in the endotract electrode 20 including the first electrode
element 21. The outer cylindrical tube 22 is sealed at one end
thereof by an end plug 25, and formed with a plura,lity of water
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passing apertureS 26, 27, 28 and 29 at the circumferential wall
thereof near the electrode element 21. A balloon-like member 30
as a bag-like member made of an expansible polymeric thin film
is bonded at both ends thereof to the outer cylindrical tube
22 and to the end plus 25. When the endotract electrode 20
including the first electrode element 21 is disposed at the
inside of a tract organ intended to be heated and water is fed
or introduced through the inner cylindrical tube 23 in the
direction A from a pump 82, the water flows from the apertures
27, 29 on the right-hand side of a sealing plug 31 made of
silicone sealing material disposed between the inner and outer
cylinders 22 and 23 through gaps in the braided wires electrode
element 21 and/or through a gap between the electrode element 21
and the outer sylindrical tube 22 and then flows into a space
84 around the outer cylindrical tube 22, whereby the balloon-
like member 30 begins to expand. When the feed of water is
continued, the balloon-like member 30 expands till it contacts
the inner wall or inner surface of the tract organ. The-excess
water flows from the apertures 26 and 28 on the left-hand side of
the sealing plug 31 through gaps in the electrode element 21
and/or through the gap between the electrode element 21 and the
outer cylindrical tube 22 into the outer cylindrical tube 22 and
is then discharged by way of the outer cylindrical tube 22 in
the direction B. Alternatively, the water may be fed through
a tubular passage between tubes 22, 23 and discharged through
a cylindrical passage in the tube 23. The flow rate of the
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circulated water may be controlled by the pump 82. The tempera-
ture of the water to be circulated may be controlled by cooling
means (not shown).
The circulated liquid such as water provides two
advantageous effects. Firstly, as a gap between the electrode
element 21 and the inner wall of the tract organ can be filled
with water for example, having electric factors (e:Lectric
conductivity and dielectric constant) similar to those of the
living body, the electric power loss which would not be negligible
at the presence of the gap can be decreased to enable an effec-
tive high-frequency heating of the lesion at the wall of the
tract organ. Secondly, since the electric field intensity is
highest at the surface of the electrode element 21, there is
fear that extremely excessive heat might be generated near the
electrode element 21 to cause scalding at a portion of the inner
wall of the tract organ if the water is not circulated. Such
ris~ or fear of scalding can however be avoided by forcively
cooling the very portion of the organ by means of the circulated
water. The cooling liquid may be any electrically conductive
liquid such as a saline water or other aqueous solutions
provided that the liquid may give the foregoing two advantageous
effects.
The outer diameter of the electrode structure 20 may be
selected optionally so long as it is smaller than or equal to the
inner diameter of the tract organ and the length of the electrode
element 21 can also be selected optionally depending on the
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length of the lesion or part to be heated.
However, it should be noted that, when the expansible
balloon-like member 30 has 50 small a natural or unexpanded
diameter that the balloon-like member 30 is required to be
expanded by giving pressure or by introducing pressurized liquid
in the space 84 of the balloon-like member 30 so that the balloon-
like member 30 may be closely contacted with the ilmer surface
of the tract organ for the effective supply of the high-frequency
current to the lesion portion, it is difficult to determine or
control the pressure of the liquid to be given. rf the given
pressure is not sufficient the balloon-like member 30 will not
get in close contact with the inner surface of the tract organ
over the desired area. On the contrary, if the given pressure
is much higher than desired, there is fear that the excessive
pressure may be given to the tract organ when the balloon-like
member is expanded under pressure. Thus, it will be difficult
to maintain the pressure given from the balloon to the wall of
the esophagus 102 within an allowable pressure limit (30 to 40
mmHg in general) in applying the endotract electrode 20 of Fig.
11 to the hyperthermia therapy of the tumors in the esophagus 102.
Figs. 12 to 18 shows the details of another preferred
embodiment of the first or endotract electrode 103a in which
above-mentioned disadvantage of the electrode 20 is overcome or
at least reduced.
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In Figs. 12 to 18, reference numeral 108 represents
a flexible two-channel tube made of silicone rubber in
which a passage or channel for introducing cooling liquid
109 and a passage or channel for discharging the cooling
liquid 110, are integrally formed. The tube 108 is
preferably made thin so that the tube 108 can be e~sily
inserted into or extracted from a given tract organ so
long as the tube 108 allows sufficient flow of the cooling
liquid through the passages 109 110 at a low passage resistances
or at low pressure drops in the liquid flow. When the endotract
electrode 103a is designed to be applied to the esophagus the
tube 108 having 5 to 6 mm in the outer diameter thereoI and
70 to 80 cm in the length thereof for example may be selected.
The tube 108 may have more than or equal to three rhannels of
liquid passages and may be made of an appropriate non-to~ic
insulatins and flexible material insteac of the silicone rubbe--.
At a top end side of the tube 10~ are att~ched a
flexible electrode element 111 an~ a flexible bag-like member 112
having sizes larae enough to be con~acted wi~h an inner surface
oS a tract oraan without being expanded. While at another end
side OI the tube 10~ are connectors 113 and 114 integrally
connected with the introducing passage means 109 and the dis-
charging passage means 110 respectively. The connecting portions
of the connectors 113 114 with the tube 108 are made hard by an
adhesive of silicone resin or other appropriate adhesives and are
further covered over by a heat-shrinkable tube 108a made of
:
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silicone.
The electrode element 111 comprises a braided metallic
wires in the form of a tube fixed on the outer circumference
of the tube 108. The electrode element 111 may alt:ernatively
comprise other conductive and flexible members such as ~ellows
or helical element. The electrode element 111 is formed to
have approximately the same axial length as that of the lesion
or tumox portion. The metallic wire for the braid 111 is made
of a material such as stainless steel or tin-platecl copper.
A top end 116 of a lead wire 115, having ] mm of diameter
for example, for supplying the high-frequency enerqy is electri-
cally connected and fixed to one end of the electrode element
111. The lead wire 115 is extended along the outer surface of
the tube 108 up to a position near the connectors ]13, 114, and
at the extended end of the lead wire 115 is provided an electrical
connector 117 to be connected to a high-frequency power supply
106a.
The bag-like member 112 is made generally in the form
of a hollow cylinder for example, so as to be fitted with the
sizes and shape of the tract organ around the lesion portion to
be treated, or with the sizes and shape of a narrowed or throttled
portion or arctation portion due to the tumor or cancer,
and is fixed to the outer circumference of the tube 108 at both
ends of a reduced diameter 118, 119 so as to surround the
electrode element 111. The bag-like member 112 may be made in
the other forms or shapes than the hollow cylinder when the
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inside of the tract organ is in the other forms or shapes at
a region around the lesion portion.
In a case where the endotract electrode 103a is to
be applied to the esophagus, the bag-like member 112 may have
about 6 to 25 mm of outer diameter and about 30 to $0 mm of
length for example.
When the endotract electrode 103a is inserted into
the tract organ, the bag-like member 112 of the electrode 103a
is shriveled as shown by the solid lines of Fig. 17 and is
preferably folded as shown by the imaginary lines of Fig. 17.
The folded pattern of the bag-like member is not specified to
a limited form, but it is desired to choose the pattern which
ensures at least one of temperature detecting means described
below to get into close contact with the lesion portion whose
temperature is to be detected, when the bag-like member is
unfolded.
The bag-like member may be made by forming a flexible
tube or film of plastic material such as polyethylene or poly-
propylene into a desired shape, but is preferably made of a
molded tube or balloon of silicone rubber in view of its least
fear of toxicity to the living body.
In this specification "flexible bag-like member having
sizes large enough to be contacted with an inner surface of the
tract organ without being expanded" is meant to have charac-
teristics for example that, when the bag-like member 112
is unfolded to a predetermined shape or form as shown in
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Figs. 12 to 16 at the inside of the tract organ by t:he
introduction of the cooling liquid into an inside 121 of the
bag-~ike member 112 through an inlet aperture 120 communicated
with the introducing passage 109 of the two-channel tube 108,
the bag-like member 112 can be transformed from the folded
state to the unfolded state even by a relatively low pressure
of the cooling liquid at the inside 121 of the bag-like member
~flexibility), and the membrane or film of the bag-like member
112 is not substantially stretched in the deformation or trans-
formation from the folded state to the unfolded sta1e thereof
(relatively large size). In other words, the liquid pressure
, at the variable volume chamber 121 in the ba~-like member 112
serves mainly to unfold the bag-like member 112 from the folded
I state thereof so that the bag-like member 112 can be made in
¦ close contact with the inner surface of the tract organ, while
I the liquid pressure at the chamber 121 is not inten~1ed to press
the membrane of the bag-like member 112 onto the inner surface
or wall of the tract oraan. The pressure of the bag~ e
member 112 onto the inner wall of the tract organ is normallv
less than about 500 mmAG., and is desired not to exceed
1,000 mmAa.
The bag-like member 112 may have wrinkles ,at some por-
~; tions thereof where the membrane of the member 112 is not com-
pletely unfolded when the bag-like member or element 112 has
been made in the unfolded state thereof to be in close contact
with the wall of the tract crgan ¦
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References 122a, 123a, 124a, 125a and 126a respectively
represent hot or warm contact points or junctions oE copper~
constantan thermocouples 122, 123, 124, 125 and 126 serving as
the temperature detecting means. The thermocouples 122, 123,
1~4, 125 and 126 are fixed by adhesives on the outer surface
of the bag-like member 112 so that they can get into close
contact with the inner surface of the tract organ when the bag-
like member 112 is unfolded by the cooling liquid therein.
Fixing o~ the thermocouples on the outer-surface of the bag-like
member 112 are carried out by means of the adhesive, of
silicone resin, in which the balloon-like member 112 is kept
expanded or unfo]ded during the fixing process.
The contacts or junctions 122a, 123a and 124a are
disposed at circumferentially equally spaced positions by 120
from each other in a central or intermediate portion of the
hag-like member 112 in terms of its length as shown in Figs. 12
and 16, and serve for observing the distribution of the tempera-
ture of the wall of the tract organ along the circumferential
direction thereof at the axially central portion of the electrode
element 111. The temperature observation along the circum-
ferential direction may be carried out at more than or equal to
four points or at two or one point(s).
The contacts 125a and 126a are disposed at the
either side of the contact 124a. The contacts 125a,
124a and 126a serve for observing or supervising the
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distribution of the temperature of the wall or lesion portion
of the tract organ along the longitudinal or axial direction of
the tract organ. The temperature observation along the longi-
tudinal direction may be carried out at more than or equal to
four points or at two or one point(s).
The temperature detecting means may be chromel-alumel
or other thermocouples instead of the copper-constantan thermo-
couples, or may be other temperature sensors such as thermistor
instead of the thermocouples.
When the heat dissipation through the bag-like member
112 is not negligible, the output detected by the temperature
detecting means does not strictly or accurately repr.esent the
temperature at the surface of the living body, but i.s useful
for supervising, managing or evaluating the degree or level of
the heating. Moreover, it should be noted that the desired
operation of the bag-like member 112 is not prevented or affected
in the electrode 103a even when the metallic lead wi.res 122b,
123b, 124b, 125b and 126b of the thermocouples 122, 123, 124,
125 and 126 are fixed by adhesives on and along the outer surface
of the bag-like member 112, because the bag-like me~er 112 is
not to be substantially stretched or expanded.
The lead wires 122b, 123b, 124b, 125b and 1.26b of the
thermocouples 122, 123, 124, 125 and 126 are fixed on the outer
circumference of the central portion of the tube 108 together
with the lead wire 115 and the end portion 118 of the bag-like
member 112 by the heat-shrinkable tube 127 made of silicone,
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where the lead wires 122b, 123b, 124b, 125b and 126b of the
thermocouples 122 to 126 are not substantially crossed with the
lead wire 115 for passing the high-frequency current: therethrough.
(The outer diameter of the tube 127 may be about 8 mm for
example, in the case where the outer diameter of the tube 108 is
about 6 mm and where the outer diameter of the lead wire 115 is
about 1 mm.) More specifically, as shown in Figs. ]2, 14 and 15
for example, wires 115,122b, 123b, 124b 125b and 12~1b are fixed
by the tube 127 such that the lead wire 115 for the high-frequency
current is extended along one side of the outer circumference
of the tube 108, and that the lead wires 122b, 123b, 124b, 125b
and 126b for the temperature detection are extended
along the other or opposite side of the outer circumference of
the tube 8. Therefore there is little fear that the output or
temperature signals transferred by the leads 122b, 123b, 12~b,
125b and 126b may be affected to be varied due to the noises by
the lead 115 or by the high-fre~uency current passing through
the lead 115.
In addition, the tube 127 serves for impro~7ing the
easy insertion and extraction of the endotract elect:rode 103a
into and out of the tract organ.
The top end side 119 of the bag-like member is fixed
to the tube 108 by means of the adhesive of the silicone group.
Reference numeral 128 represents a connector for the
lead 122b, 123b, 124b, 125b and 126b of the thermocouples.
The connector 128 comprises a 10-pins type of socket portion 130
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to which leads 122b, 123b, 124b, 125b and 126b are electrically
connected and fixed and to which a cap or cover part: 129 is further
fixed under pressure, and a 10-pins type of plug portion 132
detachably put in the socket portion 130, the plug portion 132
including lead wires connected to voltmeters (not shown~ to
indicate the temperatures at various portions of the tract organ
as shown in Figs. 12 and 18.
Reference numeral 133 denotes an outlet aperture
communicated with the discharge passage 11~ of the t:ube 108,
and reference numeral 134 is a connector of the tube 134a
for introducing the cooling liquid connected to a pump 135 and
a liquid cooling device 136. The connector 134 is adapted to
be detachably connected with the connector 113. A c:onnector
137 is adapted to be detachably connected with the connector
114 so as to discharge or return the cooling liquid through a
discharge tube 138.
In the meantime, the connectors 113 and 114 may be
connected with the connectors 137 and 134 respectively such
that the cooling liquid is introduced into the chamber 121
through the aperture 133 and is discharged from the chamber 121
through the aperture 120. Number of the apertures 120, 133
may be more than or equal to two respectively.
The operation of the device for hyperthermia having
the first or endotract 103a thus constructed is explained
hereinafter, while the details of the second or outer electrode
will be explain later.
~%55~7~57
~ t first the endotract electrode 103a is inserted from
a sealing cap 139 at the top end thereof into the tract organ
to a predetermined depth while keeping the bag-like member 112
folded as shown by the imaginary lines of Fig. 17. After
having inserted the electrode 103a into the tract organ so that
the electrode element 111 thereof may be opposed to a lesion
or tumor portion at the wall of the tract, the connectors 113,
114 are connected with the complementary connectors 134, 137,
and the cooling liquid is started to be introduced i.nto the
inside 121 of the bag-like member 112 from the pump 135 through
the introducing passage 109 and aperture 120 which have relatively
low resistance to the flow.
It is preferable that the cooling liquid essentially
consists of a liquid having high d.c. resistance or being insulat-
ing for the direct current such as ion-exchanged water for re-
ducing the power consumption in the chamber 121, but generally
conductive liquid such as city water may be used.
;I When the bag-like member 112 is unfolded from the
Il folded state thereof by the introduction of the cooling water
into the chamber 121, bag-like member 112 as well as the contact
122a, 123a, 124a, 125a and 126a of the thermocouples on the
outer surface of the bag-like member is made in close contact
with the inner wall of the tract organ without exer1:ing much
pressure on the wall of the tract organ. Then the temperatures
at the inner surface of the tract organ detected by the thermo-
couples 122 to 126 can be transferred in the form of the voltage
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si~nals through the leads 131 to the voltmeters ~not ~hown) to
be indicated.
The cooling water introduced in~o the cb~amber 121
flows the chamber 121 generally axially, and the~l is discharged
through the aperture 133, discharging passage 110 and the tube 138
whose resistances to the flow are relatively low or small.
On the other hand, high-frequency power supply 106a is
switched on so as to start giving the high-freque-ncy current
between the electrode element 111 of the endotract electrode
103a and the opposed outer electrode such as the electxode 105
through the connectors 117, 117a, etc. The lesion portion at
the wall of the tract organ near the endotract electrode 103a
where the high electric field is produced can be heated or
warmed at a desired temperature by manually or automatically
adjusting the output power of the high-frequency power supply
106a, the temperature of the cooling water ~rom the cooling
devic~o 136, and the flow rate of the coolingwater from the pump
135 for e~ample. The circulated cooling water serves for
prever.ting the inner surface of the tract organ in contact with
the bag~ e member 112 and the electrode element 111 from
being overheated.
After the desired period of heating treatment, the
power supply 106a is switched off, and the supply of the cooling
water is stopped. Then, the bag-like member 112 is shrinked by ,~
the discharge of the cooling water from the tube 138, thereafter
the endotract electrode 103a is extracted out of the tract organ,
after releasing the connections between connector~ if de6ir~d.
In applylng the endotract electrode 103a it iL i~port~nt~
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to fit the sizes of the bag-like member 112 to the ~izes of the
tract organ around the lesion portion to be subjected to heating
treatment, therefore it may be desired to prepare a plurality of
bag-like members having different outer diameters and different
lengths. It sh~uld ~e noted that the bag-like men~er 112 of the
endotract electrode 103a can be closely contacted with the inner
surface of the tract organ at a longitudinally wicle region thereof
without fear of exerting excessive pressure on the~ wall or the
tract organ.
As described above, in the endotract electrode of said
¦ another preferred embodiment, as the bag-like mem~er surrounding
the electrode element and being adapted to define a variable-
vol~me chamber where the cooling liquid is circulated is made
¦I much flexible and is adapted to be contacted with the inner
wall of the tract organ without being expanded or stretched
by the pressure of the cooling liquid, the bag~ ;e
member can get in contact with the inner wall of t:he
tract organ by being unfolded in the tract organ without exerting
excessive pressure on the inner wall O r the tract organ. This
embodiment of the first or endotract electrode alC;o serves for
i' selective heating of the lesion at the deep inside of the living
I body or patient, without giving much pains to the patient by plac-
¦¦ ing this endotract electrode in a tract organ having the lesion
portion and disposing a second or outer electrode at a desired
position on the surface of the patient.
Reference will now be made to one example of a plate
like second electrode structure 40 adapted to he disposed on an
outer circumierence or surface cf a livi~g body to be heeted
12~5~57
by way of Figure 19 and Figure 20. Figure 19 shows an outer
look of the second electrode 40, in which an outer c:asing or
bag-like member 41 is made of soft and ~lexible polymeric
membrane such as plasticized polyvinylchloride so as to be
easily closely contacted with the living body. As e;hown in
Figure 20, the outer casing 41 includes in its inside a flexible
curved plate-like electrode element 42 made of a mel:al foil,
braided metal wires or the like, of copper for example, and a
water circulation tube 43 disposed on an inner or concave surface
of the second electrode element 42. The electrode element 42 is
connected through a lead wire 44 attached thereto to the terminal
81 of the high-frequency power supply 53 of Figure :Ll or a
terminal of the high-frequency power supply 106a of Figure 12 for
example. The water circulation tube 43 is desirabl~f made of
soft and flexible material such as plasticized polyvinylchloride.
The flow rate of the water circulated through the l:ube can be
controlled by a pump means (not shown). The temperature of the
water circulated through the tube 43 may be control:Led by an
appropriate cooling means if desired. The outer casing 41 is
attached with soft and flexible bands 45, each having a pair of
engaging parts 46, for fixing the second electrode main body 85
comprising the second electrode element 42, the tube 43 and the
outer casing 41 to the outer circumference of a liv:ing body
having a lesion portion to be heated. While it is desired to
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fill the inside of the outer casing 41 with an appropriate
amount of water so that no air layer is formed between the
electrode element 42 and the living body, other liquid or
soft and flexible material having appropriate elect:rical
factors ~electric conductivity and dielectric constant)
may be filled in place of water. Likewise, the liquid
circulated through the circulation tube 43 is not rLecessarily
restricted only to water. Since the electric fielcl near
the second electrode is rather weak and the amount of heat
induced thereby is relatively small as described above,
it is not always necessary to cool the part of the living
body near the second electrode by means of the coo].ing liquid.
In addition, bands 45 and engaging parts 46 may not: be provided
depending on the purposes of use. The area, or the length
and width of the electrode element plate 42 can be determined
by the position and the sizes of the lesion or part: to be
heated as well as by those of the first electrode a,nd the
area may, depending on the case, be large enough to cover
the entire circumference of the living body. The shape of
the elec~rode element 42 is not limited only to the! rectangular
shape but it may be any other shapes such as disc.
Upon applying the device for hyperthermia having the
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electrode pair as described above to the high-frequency heating
treatment of a lesion at the tract organ of a living body,
(1) the device can be inserted to and extracted fro7n the inside
of the tract organ with ease where the lesion or pa:rt to be
heated is situated, (2) only the lesion portion at the deep
inside of the living body near the first electrode ~hat is a
part to be heated can selectively be heated, and (3) the lesion
at the deep inside of the living body can be heated selectively
without causing undesirable heating and temperature rise in the
surface layer, particularly, the subcutaneous fat layer as will
be described more specifically in the following exal~ples.
Example 1
Description is to be made referring to Figures 21
through 23 about an example of an experiment on the heating of
an esophagus 51 of a dog S0 as a livin~ body wherei:n the first
or endotract electrode 20 of Fig. 11 having the cyl.indrical
first electrode element 21 was disposed to the inside of the
esophagus 51, the plate-like second electrode structure 40 of
Fig. 19 was disposed on the outer circumference at one side of
a thorax part 52 of the dog 50, and the electrode elements 21,
42 of the two electrode structures 20, 40 were connected to the
high-frequency power supply 53 (frequency: 13.56 ~z, power:
200 W).
Figure 21 shows a cross section of the dog's thorax
52 and an arrangement of the electrodes 20, 40 employed for the
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experiment, in which are shown a cross section of the
thorax part 52, esophagus 51, a lung 54 and a backbone
55. References Tl to T6 represent thin thermocouples
coated with TEFLON (TM) (polytetrafluoroethylene) which
are disposed at various positions for the measurement
of temperature. As shown in Figure 21, the
thermocouple T6 was disposed in the subcutaneous fat
layer on the side of the second electrode structure 40
and other thermocouples Tl to T5 were disposed near the
esophagus 51. More specifically, as shown in Figure 22
illustrating an enlarged view around the esophagus 51
the thermocouples Tl to T5 were disposed as follows;
the thermocouple Tl was placed on the outer
circumference of the endotract electrode 20 or of the
bag-like member 30 at the side of the second electrode
structure 40, the thermocouples T2 and T3 were placed
at the two positions on the outer circumference of the
bag-like member 30 of the endotract electrode 20 at the
side remote from the second elec-trode structure 40, the
thermocouple T4 was placed in the tissue of the
esophagus 51 between the first and second electrodes
20, 40, and the thermocouple T5 was placed at the outer
wall or outer surface of the esophagus 51 between the
first and second electrodes 20, 40. In the experiment,
the temperature signal detected by the thermocouple Tl
was used for the ON-OFF control of the high-frequency
power supply 53.
Specifically, the ON-OFF control was carried
out cyclically by switching off -the power supply 53
every time when the temperature detected by the
thermocouple Tl reached an upper
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limit 44C and switching on the power supply 53 when the
temperature detected by the thermocouple Tl decreased down
to a lower limit 42C.
Figure 23 shows the relationship between the elapse of
time t (min) and the change or variation in the temperature
T (C) at each of the parts where the thermocouples were dis-
posed, Before the start of the heating, the temperature designat-
ed or detected by the thermocouple T6 for the subcutaneous
fat layer was 31C and the temperature designated or detected
for other parts was 34C. As the thermocouple Tl designated
44C about three minutes after the start of the heating, the
power supply 53 was switched off and then the power supply 53
was switched on again for heating when the temperature decreased
down to 42C after 1.5 min. (about 4.5 minutes after the start
of the heating). And then after about one min. or less, the
temperature increased up to 44C and the power supply 53 was
switched off again. Such an ON-OFF control was repe2ted further.
The temperature designated by the thermocouples T2 to T5 in or
near the esophagus 51 changed in the similar manner as the
temperature designated from the thermocouple Tl. P,s compared
with the temperature designated by the thermocouple Tl, the
temperature designated by the thermocouple T4 was higher by about
0.5C, and each of the temperatures designated by t:he thermo-
couples T2, T3 and T5 was lower by about 1C, about: 2C and
about 4C respectively. Plthough the temperature in the
subcutaneous fat layer detected by the thermocouple T6 continued ~i
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lZ5575~ ~
to increase slightly, the rising rate was only ~out 2C ~or
10 min, which shows substantially no danger of scalding.
The increase in the temperature near the second electrode 40
can be suppressed further, if desired, by an appropriate means,
for example by increasing the amount of the wate~ circulated
through the second electrode structure 40. The l_emperature
designated by the thermocouple T4 situated remote from the endo-
tract electrode 20 was somewhat higher than that by the thermo-
couple Tl, because the portion near the thermocouple Tl was
cooled by the water circulated through the first electrode 20.
As can be seen from the result of the above experiment,
it has been confirmed that the esophagus 51 near the endotr~ct
electrode 20 can be heated selectively by the device for hyper-
thermia according to this invention.
The above-mentioned ON-OFF control may be made
automatically by an appropriate control means connected to the
power supply as well as to thermocouples. The tnermocouples
may be replaced by other temperature detecting means such as
thermistors.
Example 2
The first or endotract electrode l03a having the
structure shown in Figs. 12 to 17 were produced. In the electrode
103a, the electrode element lll had ~ mm of outer diameter and i
80 mm of length, the bag-like member 112 was made of silicone
rubber, and had 15 mm of outer diameter at the enlarged diame~er ;~'
portion 112a when the membrane of the b~g-like member 112 was
~L255~57
not expanded or stretched under tensile force and 80 Inm of
length a~ the portion 112a~ and the thickness of the membrane
of the bag-like member 112 was 0.2 mm when the membrane was
not expanded or stretched.
For the comparison, comparative endotract electrode
having similar structure to that of the electrode 103a except
that the bag-like member 112 of the electrode 103a was replaced
with a bag-like member assembly having two bag-like members
superposed in which an outer di~meter of the enlarged diameter
portion at the non-expanded state was 8 mm was prepared.
In the electrode 103a, the temperature detection was
carried out by three thermocouples 122, 123, 124 whose contacts
or junctions 122a, 123a, 124a were disposed at angular positions
of 120 with each other on the outer surface of the bag-like
j member 112. On the other hand, in the comparative electrode,
I three thermocouples wexe disposed similarly at the angular posi-
li tions of 120 with each other, but at positions between the
¦ two superposed bag-like members of the bag-like member
assembly.
1, Each of the experiments on the endotract electrode 103a
¦ and on the above-mentioned comparative electrode was made as
j follows; the electrode 103a or the comparative electrode was
I inserted into a stomach of a dog, where the stomach had been
¦ processed in the form of a tube having an inner diameter Ot
about 12 mm beforehand. The cooling liquid was circulated
through the bag-like member 112 of the electrode 103a or through
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the bag-like member assembly o~ the comparative ~lec~.rode to
make the bag-like member 112 or the bag-like member assembly
contacted with the inner surface of the stomach. On the other
hand, an outer or second electrode plate was fixed on the belly
of the dog, and the high-frequency current was intermittently
supplied between the outer electrode and the endotract electrode
103a, or between the outer electrode and the comparative elec-
trode by a high-frequency power supply (13.56 MHz, 100 W) to
heat the wall of the stomach of the dog.
The internal pressure required to unfold the bag-like
member 112 of the endotract electrode to a predetermined shape
was approximately 500 mmAq., while the internal pressure
required to expand or inflate the bag-like member assembly up
to 12 mm in the outer diameter was as much as 3,000 mmAq.
The heating and cooling pattern, similar to that of
~ig. 23, obtained by the above-mentioned intermittent heating
using the endotract electrode 103a is shown in Fig. 24, and the
heating and cooling pattern obtained by the above-mentioned
intermittent heating using the comparati~re electrode is shown
in Fig. 25.
As is apparent from Figs. 24 and 25, the period of time
tla required to warm the stomach wall by 2 degrees from 42C
to 44~C was about 30 seconds, and the period of time t2a
required to be cooled from 44C to 42C was about 20 seconds
in the case where the endotract electrode 103a was used (Figure
24 ~, while under the seme conditions the period of time tlb
~ i75i~
required to be warm the stomach wall by 2 degrees from 42~C to
44C was about 50 seconds, and the period of time t2_ required
to be cooled from 44C to 42C was about 30 seconds in the case
where the comparative electrode was used.
This difference in the speed of response or speed
of the change in the temperature of the stomach wall suggests
that the resistance to heat flow at the contact between
the wall of the stomach and the bag-like member 112 of the
endotract electrode 103a is less than that between the
stomach wall and the bag-like assembly of the comparative
electrode because the bag-like member 112 of the endotract
electrode 103a can be closely contacted with the inner
surface of the stomach compared with the comparative
electrode.
In each of the Figs. 24 and 25, the axis of ordina~es
corresponds to a temperature detected by a thermocouple which
indicated the highest temperature among the three thermocouples
of the endotract electrode 103a or of the comparative electrode.
The difference between the highest temperature and the
lowest temperature among the temperatures detected by the three
thermocouples at each point of time was not more than 2 degrees
in case of the electrode 103a, but it was as much as 3 degrees
in case of the comparative electrode.
This results suggest that the endotract electrode 103a
is more useful than the comparative electrode when the electrodes
are used as the first or endotract electrode of the device for
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hyperthermia therapy which will be intended to heat the wall o~ th~
tumors at a ~emperature of 42 to 45~C for 0.5 to several hours,
because the electrode 103a can warm the lesion portion more .
uniformly than the comparative electrode.
As for the impedance matching with ~he living body, the
endotract electrode 103a ena~led a stable matching and to heat
at a SWR (standing wave ratio) less than 1.5, on the other hand,
in case of the comparative electrode, the SWR frequently increased,
and therefore it was required to readjust or modify the matching
condition. ~urthermore it was difficult to maintain the SWR
less than 2 in case o~ the comparative electrode.
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