System for treating unwanted tissue
US11445911B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 25, 2017 |
| Grant date | Sep 20, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2018/142
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention may be applied to selectively heat a diseased area in the lung while minimizing heating to the healthy area and surrounding tissue. This can be done by exposing the lung to an electromagnetic field causing dielectric or eddy current heating. The invention is particularly useful for treating emphysema as the diseased areas in emphysema patients have reduced blood flow. The diseased area will heat up rapidly while the healthy tissue will be cooled by the blood flow. This is particularly effective for treating emphysema because of the low mass of the lungs and the high blood flow. To avoid heating of surrounding organs the direction of the electromagnetic energy may be switched in a way it always passes through lungs but only intermittently passes through adjacent organs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.