Method of controlling thermal therapy
US6490488B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2018/00547
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A thermal therapy method includes inserting an applicator including an energy-emitting device into a body cavity such as a urethra adjacent a targeted tissue region such as a prostate, energizing the energy-emitting device, and circulating coolant between the energy-emitting device and a wall of the body cavity. The therapy is controlled by decreasing a temperature of the coolant and continually adjusting coolant temperature based on therapy parameters. The applicator, or selected tissue at a predetermined depth from the wall of the body cavity, is maintained at a temperature corresponding to a predetermined applicator temperature profile by adjusting a power level provided to the energy-emitting device. In one embodiment involving treatment of the prostate, rectal temperature is monitored and, upon sensing a rectal temperature that exceeds a predetermined threshold, the temperature of the coolant is increased to force a reduction in power provided to the energy-emitting device to maintain the applicator at the temperature corresponding to the predetermined applicator temperature profile.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.