JPH03202073A - Electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively treat a disseminated and transferred tumor by providing a heat exchange chamber which is opened at the base and is circulated with a circulating liquid in the inside and an electrode which is supported in this heat exchange chamber and is subjected to an insulation treatment on the surface. CONSTITUTION:This applicator 1 has the heat exchange chamber 2 which consists of an outside cylinder 3 and a cap 4 and the base of which is opened. The electrode 12 mounted to the bottom end of a rod 11 is coated with a bioinert polymer. The applicator 1 is used in the state of incising the abdomen of the living body A and inserting the bottom of the outside cylinder 3 into the abdominal cavity B. An applicator 31 similar to the conventional applicator is mounted on the outer side of the body. The electrode 33 of this applicator 31 and the electrode 12 are so adjusted by vertically moving the rod 11 as to attain an adequate positional relation. The circulating liquid is circulated in the heat exchange chamber 2 and the abdominal cavity B by a circulating liquid supplying device 19. Hot water contg. a carcinostatic agent is used for this circulating liquid and a high-frequency electric field is impressed between the electrodes 12 and 33 while the circulating liquid is kept circulated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy suitable for the treatment of peritoneal dissemination and metastasis of cancer.

(b) Prior Art FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams for explaining a conventional high-frequency thermotherapy electrode (hereinafter referred to as an applicator).

The applicator 31 shown in FIG. 6 has an electrode 33 disposed inside a dish-shaped main body 32, and an opening of the main body 32 covered with a bag-like liquid storage hang 34. From the electrode 33 is the power supply line 3
5 is pulled out and connected to a high frequency generation source 37. Also,
Inside the liquid storage bang 34, a tube (not shown)
The structure is such that cooling water from a cooling water supply device is circulated. As shown in FIG. 6, this applicator 31 is placed facing the skin surface corresponding to the tumor tissue C of the living body A, and applies a high-frequency electric field between the image electrodes 33 to apply the tumor tissue. Treat with heat.

The applicator 31 in Figure 6 applies a high-frequency electric field from the body surface, but if the affected area is deep, the subcutaneous fat layer will generate heat before the affected area, bringing the affected area to the target temperature. It was difficult to raise the level. In addition, there is an air layer in the abdominal cavity, but because almost no lines of electric force pass through this air layer, the lines of electric force concentrate around the air layer, causing heat generation in this area, which also causes the affected area. It was difficult to raise the temperature to the target temperature.

In order to solve these problems, an intraoperative applicator 41 as shown in FIG. 7 has been proposed (Utility Application No. 168895/1989).

This applicator 41 has a fixing ring 43 attached to the bottom of a highly insulating cylindrical body 42 (for example, the inside is filled with air).
An electrode 44 is housed in the fixing ring 43, and a liquid storage bag 45 is attached to the bottom opening of the fixing ring 43. The cooling liquid is circulated within the liquid storage bung 45 in the same manner as in the case of the applicator 31 described above.

This applicator 41 is used in pair with the applicator 31, and applies a high frequency electric field to the affected area while the abdomen of the living body A is opened and the liquid bag 45 is brought into contact with an organ in the affected area C. Treat with heat.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention The intraoperative applicator 41 described above can exhibit excellent effects in heating a portion of tumor tissue inside a living body. However, this applicator 41 was not suitable for whole-body treatment of lit tumor tissue that has spread and metastasized to internal tissues (disseminated metastasis), such as cancerous peritonitis.

The thermotherapy method used for disseminated and metastasized III tumor tissue includes intraperitoneal injection of warm water containing an anticancer drug (42,5
A method of circulating temperature (°C to 43"C) is known. However, this method only warms the surface of the organ, so there is a problem that a sufficient therapeutic effect cannot be obtained. Also,
Because hot water is not circulated throughout the abdominal cavity due to adhesions between living tissues, the therapeutic effect is often only partially achieved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide an electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy that is suitable for treating the entire tumor tissue that has disseminated and metastasized, such as cancerous peritonitis.

(d) Means and operation for solving the problems In order to solve the above problems, the electrode for high frequency thermal treatment of the present invention includes a heat exchange tank whose bottom surface is open and in which a circulating fluid is circulated;
It is supported within the heat exchange tank and includes electrodes whose surfaces are subjected to insulation treatment.

The high-frequency thermotherapy electrode of the present invention is used by opening the abdomen of a living body and inserting the bottom of the heat exchange tank into the abdominal cavity.

Since the inside of the abdominal cavity communicates with the inside of the heat exchange tank, if the circulating fluid is circulated through the heat exchange tank, this circulating fluid will also be circulated inside the abdominal cavity. For example, warm water containing an anticancer agent is used as the circulating fluid, and the tumor tissue is heated from the surface of the organ. At this time, since the abdomen is opened, circulating fluid circulates throughout the abdominal cavity! II The entire tumor tissue can be warmed up.

In this state, if a high-frequency electric field is applied between this high-frequency thermotherapy electrode and the high-frequency thermotherapy electrode (for example, the applicator shown in FIG. 6) attached to the body surface, the high-frequency current will cause tumor III It gets hot itself. At this time, since only circulating fluid is present between the electrode and the tumor tissue, the tumor tissue can be heated efficiently without being affected by the fat layer or air layer. Note that the electrodes also generate heat, but this heat is absorbed by the circulating fluid whose temperature is controlled and released to the outside.

Ill! due to this high frequency current! Due to the synergistic effect of the heat generated by the tissue itself and the heating from the surface of the organ by the circulating fluid, the disseminated and metastasized tumor tissue can be effectively heated, leading to necrosis.

(E) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are an external perspective view and a central vertical cross-sectional view, respectively, of a high-frequency thermotherapy electrode (hereinafter referred to as an applicator) 1 according to this embodiment.

The heat exchange tank 2 is composed of an outer cylinder 3 and a cap 4, and has an open bottom surface. The outer tube 3 is made of transparent resin so that the condition of the affected area can be observed from outside the applicator 1. 3a is a fitting protrusion for attaching the applicator 1 to an applicator support 30, which will be described later. Moreover, 3b is a scale for confirming the position of the electrode.

A female threaded portion 3C is formed at the upper end of the inner surface of the outer cylinder 3, and by screwing this into the male threaded portion 4a of the cap 4, the outer cylinder 3 can be detachably attached to the cap 4. . The outer cylinder 3 and the cap 4 may be integrally molded, but if they are configured to be detachable as in this embodiment,
It is convenient when disinfecting.

The cap 4 includes a water inlet 5, a drain port 6, and a sensor introduction part 7.
, a hub 9 are provided. The water inlet 5 and the drain port 6 are for introducing and discharging the circulating fluid into the heat exchange tank 2, respectively, and are provided on the side surface of the cap 4. Water inlet 5
, tubes 5a and 6 are connected in an L-shape from the drain port 6, respectively.
Although tubes a are hanging down, these tubes 5a and 6a can be omitted. Further, the water inlet and the drain port may be provided on the outer cylinder 3 side, and the design can be changed as appropriate.

The sensor introduction part 7 is a well-known part for introducing the sensor 8 into the heat exchange tank 2, and by tightening the nut 7a, the sensor 8 can be inserted into the cap 4 while maintaining the waterproof state.

Although only one sensor 8 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, it is only necessary to introduce the necessary number of sensors into the heat exchange tank 2, and the introduction method is also the same as that of the embodiment. but not limited to.

The hub 9 is provided in the middle of the cap 4, and is connected to the rod 1.
1 is inserted. A gasket 9a that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the rod 11 is provided inside the hub 9 to provide a waterproof structure.

Further, a screw 1o for fixing the rod 11 at an arbitrary position is screwed into the hub 9.

A disc-shaped electrode 12 is attached to the lower end of the rod 11. Of course, the shape of the electrode is not limited to a disk. The rod 11 and the electrode 12 are made of a conductive material such as aluminum or copper, and their surfaces are coated with a bioinert polymer such as polyethylene 47 fluoride (trade name: Teflon). This is to prevent an electric shock accident caused by fluid contact between the rod 11 and electrode 12 and the intraperitoneal cavity due to circulating fluid.

A power supply line 14 is connected to the upper end of the rod 11 by a nut 13. An insulating cap 15 is attached to the upper end of the rod 11 to insulate the connection portion of the power supply line 14.

Next, the stand 21 that supports the example applicator 1 will be explained. FIG. 3 shows the entire stand 21, in which a pipe 24 is erected on a base 23 provided with casters 22.

A vibrator 25 is inserted into the vibrator 24 from above, and by rotating the handle 26, the pipe 25 is inserted.
The protrusion height can be changed.

An arm holder 27 is rotatably attached to the vibrator 25, and can be fixed at a desired angle by tightening a screw 27a.

An arm 28 is inserted through and supported by the arm holder 27 . The arm 28 can be adjusted in the axial direction with respect to the arm holder 27, and can be fixed to the arm holder 27 with a screw 27b.

A counterweight 29 is provided at one end of the arm 2, and an applicator support 30 is provided at the other end.

Details of the applicator support 30 are shown in FIG. The applicator support 30 is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm 28, and can be fixed at a desired angle by tightening a screw 30a. 30b is
This is a fitting recess, and the fitting protrusion 3a of the applicator 1 is inserted here.
The applicator 1 is attached to the applicator support 30 by fitting from above. The fitting protrusion 3a has a screw 30c
The structure is such that the applicator 1 is fixed to the applicator support 30 and cannot be easily removed from the applicator support 30.

Although only one type of applicator 1 is shown in this embodiment, in reality, various types of applicators are used to accommodate various patient situations.
A plurality of types of applicators having different outer diameters and heights of the outer cylinder 3 and different diameters of the electrodes 12 are prepared. Even in this case, the stand 21 can be used in common for a plurality of types of applicators as long as the shape of the fitting protrusion 3a is made uniform.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating connections of the embodiment applicator 1. The feed line 14 is connected to a high frequency generation source 17 . The power supply line 35 of the applicator 31 on the body surface side is also connected to this high frequency generation source 17, and a high frequency electric field is applied between the electrodes 12 and 33 of the applicator 1.31.

The water inlet 5 and the drain port 6 are connected to a constant temperature circulating fluid supply device 19 via tubes 5b and 6b, respectively. This constant temperature circulating fluid common device 19 has a function of keeping the circulating fluid at a predetermined temperature and circulating it within the heat exchange tank 2 and the abdominal cavity B.

Further, the sensor 8 is connected to a temperature measuring device 18 and can monitor the temperature inside the heat exchange tank 2 and the abdominal cavity B.

The embodiment applicator 1 is used in a state where the abdomen of a living body A is opened and the bottom of the outer cylinder 3 is inserted into the abdominal cavity B. A conventional applicator 31 is attached to the body surface side, and the rod 11 is adjusted by moving up and down so that the electrode 33 of the applicator 31 and the electrode 12 are in an appropriate positional relationship.

Circulating fluid is circulated within the heat exchange tank 2 and the abdominal cavity B by a circulating fluid supply device 19. This circulating fluid contains warm water (42,5 to 43 degrees
C) is used. When the circulating fluid is being circulated, the electrode 12
．． A high frequency electric field is applied between 33 and 33. Since the space between the electrode 12 and the surface of the organ is filled with circulating fluid, the tumor tissue C can be efficiently heated by high frequency. electrode 12
Although the pump itself generates heat, this heat is absorbed by the circulating fluid whose temperature is controlled and discharged to the outside.

The temperature of the disseminated and metastasized tumor tissue C can be efficiently raised by the heating effect of the circulating fluid from the organ surface and the heating effect of the high frequency, thereby causing necrosis.

As shown in FIG. 5, the applicator l of this embodiment can also be used tilted, and can also be used to heat deep areas such as the bladder.

Note that the applicator of the present invention is also applicable to microwave and ultrasonic heating.

(f) As described in detail of the invention, the electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy of the present invention includes a heat exchange tank having an open bottom and in which a circulating fluid is circulated, and a heat exchange tank that is supported within the heat exchange tank and has a surface Since it is equipped with an electrode that has been subjected to insulation treatment, it has the advantage that it can effectively treat disseminated and metastasized tumors.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway external perspective view of an electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy, and FIG. Figure 4 is a diagram explaining the usage status of the same high-frequency thermotherapy electrode.
A diagram explaining the connection of the high-frequency thermotherapy electrode, FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the state in which the high-frequency thermotherapy electrode is used tilted, and FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining the conventional high-frequency thermotherapy electrode. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a conventional intraoperatively used high-frequency thermal treatment electrode. 2: Heat exchange tank, 3: Outer cylinder, 4: Camp, 5: Water inlet, 6: Drain port, 12: Electrode.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An electrode for high-frequency thermotherapy comprising a heat exchange tank with an open bottom and through which circulating fluid is circulated, and an electrode supported within the heat exchange tank and whose surface is insulated.