JP2005245917A - Ultrasonic treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic treatment apparatus which is small-sized and light-weight to be held by a hand or is a thin type for coelomic use so as to be easily handled even in a general surgery site. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrasonic treatment apparatus is provided with an ultrasonic wave generating element for generating ultrasonic waves for treatment by signals applied from a transmitter, a primary side converging part for converging the ultrasonic waves for the treatment on the body outer side, an acoustic transmission part for transmitting the ultrasonic waves for the treatment, and a living body side acoustic emission part for secondarily converging the ultrasonic waves for the treatment on a living body side. In the ultrasonic treatment apparatus, one or both of a shape memory alloy for sensing a temperature and a pressure-sensitive element for detecting hardness are attached to the living body side acoustic emission part, the shape memory alloy has a bidirectional property, is extended at a low temperature and is contracted at a high temperature to hold the acoustic transmission part and control the heating temperature of a lesion, the plurality of pressure-sensitive elements are arranged around the living body side acoustic emission part, and the direction and hardness of the lesion inside the living body can be measured as well. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus using ultrasonic waves, for example, an ultrasonic heat treatment apparatus or an ultrasonic ablation treatment apparatus.

In recent years, there has been a strong demand for minimally invasive treatment including surgery, and non-invasive treatment itself. This is called HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound). Although the treatment method which heat-heats and heat-denatures necrosis is proposed by patent document 1, although this method is anticipated as a treatment method with less invasiveness to a patient compared with the conventional surgical treatment, As a method, it is necessary to irradiate a strong ultrasonic wave after adjusting the position toward a target such as a tumor cell while observing a monitor image under an ultrasonic wave or an X-ray image. In the method of high-temperature heat treatment by focusing sound waves on tumor cells, the device itself is not only large, but it is difficult to confirm the location of the tumor cells to be treated, and organs around the tumor cells to be treated In Therefore, it is necessary to secure sufficient positional accuracy for focusing, and there is still a need for improvement.
JP2000-237205

Moreover, temperature management is a very important issue in heat treatment, and conventionally, a large-scale device that senses the temperature of the target region and applies feedback to the output device has been required.

  In addition, a separate diagnostic device is required to confirm the location of the tumor cells to be treated and to manage the course of treatment.

  The present invention is intended to provide a small-sized, light-weight or thin ultrasonic treatment apparatus for body cavity that can be easily handled at a general surgical site.

  In this case, the present inventor includes an ultrasonic wave generating element that generates a therapeutic ultrasonic wave by a signal applied from a transmitter, a primary-side converging unit that converges the therapeutic ultrasonic wave outside the body, and the therapeutic ultrasonic wave. An ultrasonic therapy apparatus having an acoustic transmission unit that transmits sound waves and a biological acoustic radiation unit that secondarily converges therapeutic ultrasonic waves on the living body side is found, and in this ultrasonic therapy apparatus, a temperature is applied to the biological acoustic radiation unit. The inventors have found one having a shape memory alloy for sensing and / or a pressure sensing element for detecting hardness, or both.

  The shape memory alloy in the above has a bi-directional property, and expands at a low temperature, contracts at a high temperature and grips the acoustic transmission part to control the transmission of acoustic energy, thereby controlling the heating temperature of the affected part. A plurality of pressure sensitive elements are arranged around the living body side acoustic radiation section to enable measurement of the direction and hardness of the affected part in the living body.

According to the present invention, by transmitting acoustic energy to an arbitrary position in a living body, it is possible to quickly and easily perform treatment and treatment with delicate heat non-invasively or minimally invasively on a treatment target site. Further, by having an independent temperature control unit, it is possible to reduce the size and weight. In addition, by having a pressure-sensitive element that confirms the direction of the affected part to be heated and the hardening of the affected part by heating, it is possible to measure the direction and hardness of the affected part in the living body. That is, in order to obtain high-power acoustic energy at a close distance of a tumor cell to be treated, the ultrasonic treatment apparatus of the present invention focuses the acoustic energy on the outside of the body, and the acoustic energy thereof. Therefore, delicate treatment and treatment can be performed quickly and easily by including the acoustic transmission unit for transmitting the sound and the biological side acoustic radiation unit for performing secondary focusing on the biological side.

  The ultrasonic therapy apparatus of the present invention detects the set temperature without using a large-scale feedback mechanism as in the past by using the shape memory alloy for the secondary morbidity problem that the tumor affected part is scattered due to overheating. Then, the shape memory alloy grips the end of the acoustic transmission part, thereby preventing the propagation of acoustic energy and having an independent temperature control part that does not heat the tumor affected part more than necessary.

  In addition, the ultrasonic therapy apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of the pressure-sensitive elements arranged around the bioacoustic radiation unit, and has a measurement unit that measures the direction and hardness of the affected part in the living body. The direction of the affected part and the degree of hardening of the affected part by heating can be confirmed.

  With the ultrasonic treatment apparatus having the above-described configuration, it is possible to treat a living body at a specific site. In the apparatus of the present invention, the temperature at which the biological protein coagulates is set to the maximum temperature, so that it can be used without the problem of scattering of the treatment site and the invasion of other sites by a wide range of treatment energy. Furthermore, since the device of the present invention can be small and light, it has excellent operability during use. In addition, the independent energy control unit adjusts the acoustic energy to avoid the risk of overheating, and it is also possible to grasp the information on the treatment site by measuring the direction of the affected area using a pressure-sensitive element and measuring the hardness. It is.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples. For example, it can be handled easily by having the basic structure shown in FIG. In the figure, for example, a primary side converging part 42 to which an ultrasonic wave generating element 41 such as PZT is bonded, a heat radiating fin 43 for cooling the heat generated therefrom, and an acoustic transmission part 44 as a primary converging acoustic transmission part Then, acoustic energy is radiated from the living body side acoustic radiation portion 45 at the tip. At this time, if there is a portion in contact with the primary-side converging unit 42 and the acoustic energy transmission unit, the acoustic energy is not sufficiently transmitted. Therefore, there is an outer body 46 to cover them. As a result, acoustic energy sufficient for treatment is transmitted to the living body-side acoustic radiation portion 45 at the distal end, so that the affected area can be treated.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bi-directional shape memory alloy installed at the tip portion is not in contact with the acoustic energy transmission unit when the subject is at a low temperature, but when the subject is at a high temperature. Since the shape is deformed and the acoustic energy transmission unit is gripped, a loss of acoustic energy occurs in that portion, and heating of the subject is stopped. Since the shape memory alloy has a characteristic that when the temperature decreases, the shape memory alloy deforms again to the original shape, so that acoustic energy is transmitted again and the subject is heated.

  As seen in FIG. 5, the hardness of the affected part in the living body can be measured by a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements installed at the distal end. When the protein of the subject is denatured, the hardness increases, and information on the treatment can be obtained by detecting it.

  The ultrasonic therapy apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to perform treatment more accurately and easily than before. Moreover, since the degree of invasiveness as a method can be suppressed to a very low level, QOL (Quality of life) for patients can be improved.

The whole block diagram of the ultrasonic therapy apparatus of the present invention is shown. The example which added the control method of the acoustic energy by a shape memory alloy to the apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown. The state before the control of the acoustic energy by a shape memory alloy is shown. The state after the control of the acoustic energy by a shape memory alloy is shown. An example in which a pressure-sensitive element for measuring the direction and hardness of tumor tissue in a living body is added to the apparatus of FIG. An example of the specific structure in the principal part of this apparatus is shown.

Explanation of symbols

41 Ultrasonic generator
42 Primary side focusing part
43 Radiation fin
44 Sound transmission part
45 Living-side acoustic radiation unit
46 Outer casing

Claims (2)

  An ultrasonic wave generating element for generating therapeutic ultrasonic waves by a signal applied from a transmitter, a primary side converging unit for converging the therapeutic ultrasonic waves on the outside of the body, and an acoustic transmission unit for transmitting the therapeutic ultrasonic waves And a living body side acoustic radiation unit for secondarily converging the therapeutic ultrasound on the living body side.   2. The ultrasonic therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the living body side acoustic radiating portion has either or both of a shape memory alloy for temperature detection and a pressure sensitive element for hardness detection.

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