JPS622959A - Applicator for warming medical treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a heating therapy applicator, and particularly relates to a heating therapy applicator for heating a predetermined location of a living body using electromagnetic waves. .

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, a treatment method using power-11 heat therapy (also called hyperthermia-1) has been in the spotlight, especially for malignant Jaii.
For example, by heating l continuously for 1 to 2 hours at 43°C near Nj and repeating this in a fixed number of cycles, the regenerative function of cancer cells is damaged and many of them are killed at the same time. Research reports have been published one after another showing that it is possible to
o, lO). This type of heating therapy includes a general heating method and a local heating method. Among these, methods using electromagnetic waves, methods using electromagnetic induction, methods using ultrasonic waves, etc. have been proposed as local heating methods for selectively warming cancerous tissues and their surrounding areas.

On the other hand, the inventors have proposed and are conducting research on the effectiveness of using electromagnetic waves to treat cancers deep within the body rather than at the surface of the body. In this case, the inventors have conventionally adopted a method of equipping a heating applicator that sends electromagnetic waves into a living body with a radio wave lens due to the need to focus the energy of the electromagnetic waves.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, the applicator 1 is
A case body 3 that has a function as a waveguide, and an electromagnetic wave power supply section 2 provided within the - end of this case body 3.
and a radio wave I/n unit 4 provided in the other end, and a cooling plate is provided at the output stage of the radio wave I/n unit 4 to prevent overheating of the surface of the living body. 5, and at the same time, the cold JJ'l board 5 can be cooled by cooling water W.

[Problems that the invention attempts to solve] However,
In such a conventional example, since an indirect cooling method is adopted in which the surface of the heating section is cooled after cooling the cooling plate 5, there is a drawback that the cooling capacity is poor, and furthermore,
Even if the inside of the cooling plate 5 is cut out and a method of direct cooling using a cooling liquid is adopted, many bubbles are generated as the surface of the heating section is cooled, and these bubbles remain inside the cooling mechanism or the radio wave lens section. This causes the inconvenience that the output decreases over time.

[Object 1-1 of the invention] The present invention corrects the inconveniences of the conventional example, and provides stable output that does not cause a decrease in output even after continuous use for an hour. One of our objectives is to provide an ablifier for heating therapy.

[Steps to solve problems]

Therefore, according to the present invention, 1 has an electromagnetic wave feeding section at one end 7
A case body equipped with a radio wave lens part at the other end, and a heating part for cooling the surface side of the heating part equipped at the radio wave IJ radiating end of the radio wave lens part of the goro-rosu main body. A heating therapy regulator comprising: a cooling mechanism; and a piping section through which a cooling liquid is introduced into the cooling mechanism from the outside or from the outside; In addition to communicating between the inside and the radio wave 1771 section, this radio wave
The device adopts a configuration in which a bubble escape means leading to the outside is installed in the deep part of the Mi+electromechanical wave power feeding portion side of the lens portion, and aims to achieve the above-mentioned objective 1.1 through dirt.

[For production]

During deep heating, the surface is also heated at the same time, but this surface is efficiently cooled by the cooling mechanism. In this case, many bubbles are generated in the coolant at the same time as cooling due to the surface temperature and the flow of the coolant. The air bubbles are collected within a radio wave lens section that communicates with the cooling mechanism. For this reason, the radio lens is equipped with an i
The bubbles are efficiently discharged to the outside by the bubble escape means.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 14.

First, in FIG. 1, IO indicates a case body having a function as a waveguide. This case body 10 has a box shape as is clear from FIGS. 2 to 4, and has an electromagnetic wave power feeding section 11 at one end, a radio wave lens section 12 at the other end, and a box-like shape. A stub tuner mechanism 13 for electromagnetic wave matching is provided in the intermediate portion. moreover,
The right end portion of the radio wave lens section 12 in FIG.
1 to form an electromagnetic wave radiating end 14, and at the same time, a cooling mechanism 1 for cooling the surface of a living body is installed at this electromagnetic wave number 41 end 14 so as to cover the electromagnetic wave radiating end 14 from the side.
5 is equipped.

The electromagnetic wave feeding section 11 includes a feeding section waveguide 1OA forming a part of the tourst body 10, an excitation antenna IIA protruding from the center of the feeding section waveguide 10A, and this excitation antenna. It is formed by a waterproof coaxial-1 inductor IIB for electromagnetic waves connected to IIA. Thereby, the electromagnetic waves sent through the coaxial connector IIB are efficiently introduced into the case body 10.

The power feeding section waveguide 10A, including the portion where the stub tuner mechanism 3 is installed, is filled with an insulating oil (hereinafter simply referred to as "oil 1") 10C that has low attenuation of electromagnetic waves. Reference numeral 101) indicates an oil-filled partition plate made of a dielectric member 0) for sealing the oil 10C.

In this embodiment, the stub tuner mechanism 13 uses three silk stub tuners arranged on the same line at predetermined intervals. To explain this in more detail, each of these stabilizing J-ners 13A.

Each of 13B and 13C includes a cylinder portion 21 with one end open 1-1, a waterproof screw-on member 22 that reciprocates within the cylinder portion 21, and a piston member A22 that is integrated with the piston member A22. Stick member 23 with stub alignment function
, a threaded hole 24 into which this threaded member 23 is screwed and inserted, and two or more through-holes 25 that communicate the inside of the case body IO and the inside of the cylinder portion 21, and each threaded member 23 By rotating and tightening the screw member 23, the screw member 23 is appropriately projected into the case body 10, and the necessary alignment is achieved.

In this case, the communication through hole 25 is
2 shows the flow rl for moving the oil 100 as it moves back and forth.

In addition, in order to smooth the flow of the oil 10C, that is, the reciprocating movement of the piston member 22, and to allow thermal expansion of the filled oil due to the overheating of the case body 10 caused by continuous use, the power supply part waveguide is tube 10
A part of A communicates with the power feeding part waveguide 10A? A moving object accommodation means 26 is also provided. This circulation housing means 26 is located at the left end (
A fine wire mesh 2 [
i A, a cup-shaped soft member 2 Ei B with a concave cross section whose central convex portion is arranged so as to be inserted from the 111th fluid storage portion 10E, and this cup-shaped soft member 42 [i Coil spring 26C that constantly presses the central part of B gently from the evening side toward the electromagnetic wave power supply section Il side
and a lid member 26D that engages the coil spring 26C and sealingly attaches the cup-shaped soft member 26B to the case body IO.

26E indicates a screw that locks the coil spring 26C;
26F indicates a ventilation hole formed in the lid member 26■.

Here, the wire mesh 26A constitutes a part of the side wall of the electromagnetic wave power supply section, and therefore, if it functions equivalently, for example, a plurality of small holes may be directly provided in the inner wall of the electromagnetic wave power supply section 11. Alternatively, it may be replaced with a plate-shaped metal member having numerous small through holes.

Further, the cooling mechanism 15 provided at the electromagnetic wave emitting end 14 of the case body 10 is formed into a flat shape in order to efficiently cool the surface of the heating section.

To explain this in more detail, the cooling mechanism 15 includes a fastening board 30 that is integrally fixed to the case body 10, and a rectangular coolant inlet formed at the end of the fastening board 30. 30A, a correspondingly rectangular coolant outlet 30B formed at the other end of the anchoring board 30, each of these coolant inflow/outflow ports 30A, 30B, and the electromagnetic wave radiation end. A waterproof insulating film prevention groove 30G is carved to surround the opening 10B of 14, and a saw cooling liquid guide 31. 32, a front electromagnetic wave %Q i, a flat insulating film member 33 disposed so as to cover substantially the whole blood at the + end 14, and this insulating film part (4
33 and a frame plate 34 which is detachably attached to the retaining board 30 with its surroundings waterproofed. Among them, the bag edge membrane member 33 has a dish shape that is convex on the row side and open on the inside, and is formed on a film-like dielectric material that has little attenuation of electromagnetic waves. and coolant inflow r'+ 30 p.

The cooling water flowing in flows through the inside of the insulating film member 33 and is sent out to the coolant slag [-130B] as indicated by the arrow f in FIG. can be cooled efficiently.

Specifically, since the connection part of one cooling liquid guy) 31 with the cooling liquid inflow l-13OA is formed in a fan shape, the cooling liquid flows through the cooling liquid inflow IU formed in a rectangular shape.
It is introduced approximately evenly over the full opening 11 of 30 A.

Since the cooling mechanism 15 has a flat shape, the coolant guided into the cooling mechanism 145 from the rectangular coolant inlet 30A flows inside the cooling mechanism 15 in the direction of the arrow f in substantially the same shape. The coolant flows uniformly, and is then smoothly sent out from the other cooling guide 32 through the coolant outlet 30B, which has substantially the same shape as the inlet 30A. In this case, the connection portion of the other cooling guide 32 with the cooling liquid outlet 30B is also formed in a fan shape. As a result, there is little flow resistance at the coolant outflow portion 1'130B, and a state in which the occurrence of turbulent flow is suppressed is achieved. Therefore, the cooling mechanism 15 has the insulating film member 33
The surface of the heating section can be cooled uniformly and efficiently.

Here, the coolant inlet 30A and the coolant outlet 3
Regarding 0B, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the width S2 of the first part of the opening near the cooling guides F31, 32 is formed narrower, and the width S of the opening [part 1] of the opening farther away from this is formed wider. In other words, in the figure, S+>32 may be used. In this case, the inflow and outflow of the cooling liquid is made even smoother, which is suitable for uniform cooling of the entire surface.

The case body] The right side shown in Figure 1 of 0 is 5af f.
'fI! In this embodiment, the radio wave L/sensing unit 12ε installed in
f) It is designed to be removably housed within the J"-space main body 10.

To explain this in more detail, the radio wave receiving part 12 is made of a plurality of metal plates having the same size +) i40.40... Section I
It is formed by a frame body 41 that has an I- shape.

Among these, the distance between each of the metal plates 40+j is a dimensional width α at the center thereof, as shown in the figure. α1゜α2. -(■ wide width (however, 7, α.〉α, 〉α2〉α3) of α3, so that each metal plate 40 as a whole can be oriented in one direction with respect to incoming electromagnetic waves as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 11. It is set to produce a predetermined lens effect (11 shades).

In addition, the center of the end of each of the 11 examples of Kinku Metal Fl i; However, as shown in FIG. 10, the lens is set so that a predetermined lens effect can also be exerted in the other direction. FIG. 12 shows the radio wave lens (
11) A right side view of FIG. 1 when 12 is housed in the case body 10 (with the insulating film member 33 removed). In this case, both the electromagnetic wave incident side and the electromagnetic wave emission side of the radio wave lens section 12 are open, and at the same time, each metal plate 40 is disposed along the flow direction A of the coolant. Therefore, the cooling liquid in the cooling mechanism 15 described above can very easily flow into and out of the radio wave lens section.

Further, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 42 indicates an 11-female thread for locking the radio lens portion 12. The box-shaped radio wave unit 12, which is detachably formed as described above,
In reality, several dozen pieces are prepared in advance depending on the affected area, and are selected and used as appropriate.

Furthermore, the electromagnetic wave power supply section 11 of the radio wave lens section I2
On the side, there is a piping 39 with a relatively small diameter as a bubble escape means 2 that communicates with the cooling liquid guide 32 for flowing out the cooling liquid.
is equipped, and during treatment Z! = (The cold air bubbles are sucked out directly from the coolant guide 32 to the outside by the negative pressure accompanying the flow of the J1 liquid).

The applicator 5o for heating therapy in this embodiment, which is formed as shown in 1 and -, has supporting members 1 on both sides.
0G, IOH part t=-c reverse t as shown in Figure 14
J-shaped applicator holding means 51! In, it is held in the up-and-down rotation l'-1 as shown by arrows C and p. This applicator holding means 51 is supported by a support mechanism (not shown) and is configured to be rotatable as shown by arrows E and F, so that it can take any posture suitable for the heating section. There is.

Next, the overall operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

First, it is input via the coaxial connector IIB.
The electromagnetic waves outputted from the excitation antenna IIA toward the inside of the case body 1o are sent to the radio waves receiving section 12 as they are without being attenuated in the OC. Then, in the process of propagating through this radio wave lens section 12, the phase of the evening (example) is more advanced than that of the central section, and as a result, the lens effect is lost on the electromagnetic waves that have propagated at the time of being radiated from the radio wave lens section 12. Radiation and focusing are done simultaneously.This electromagnetic wave with the L/ns effect is transmitted to the cooling mechanism 1.
After propagating inside the living body, it is propagated from the surface to the living body side, during which time it is first partially reflected at the living body surface, and then heats the living body surface and deep part. In this case, the surface of the living body is effectively cooled by the cooling mechanism 15 described above. In addition, when it comes to deep areas, it is especially important to use a radio wave lens to detect
Since the light is focused by the lens effect, the focal position at a predetermined depth and its surroundings are efficiently heated.

On the other hand, said! Anti-1・l a on the surface of the I body! ! (,;
1. This is due to a difference in impedance of the electromagnetic wave transmission system, and this impedance change also occurs on the incident side of the air radio wave lens section 12. Therefore, the excitation antenna]
, when viewed from the IA side, it is possible to detect an inverse 1.1 of electromagnetic waves from both the radio wave lens section 12 and the surface of the heating section.

In this case, by appropriately adjusting the stub thousand unit mechanism 13, it is possible to immediately achieve impedance matching with respect to the radio wave lens section 12 and the heating section side, which suppresses the generation of reflected electromagnetic waves.
The electromagnetic energy is efficiently sent into the heating section.

Here, the impedance matching by the stub coupler mechanism 13 is performed by checking the repulsion rate displayed on the reflected electromagnetic wave display means (not shown) of the direction V1 coupler used in connection with the coaxial connector 11B. while v) by the operator.

Apart from the impedance matching by the stazo tuner mechanism 13, a small amount of energy loss occurs in the case body 10 due to the impedance of the electromagnetic wave transmission system. Since it is constantly heated, the filled oil IOC will undergo thermal expansion L7, and countermeasures will be a problem. If this is left unattended, for example, oil
Although the partition plate 10D is damaged, the above-mentioned fluid storage means 2 acts on the kneading to accommodate the increased amount of the filled oil 100 due to thermal expansion (446). Specifically, the central part of the cup-shaped soft part +4'26B is pressed by 11M due to the oil pressure, and the bulk storage part expanded thereby] The increased amount of the filled oil 100 is stored in the OE. . When adjusting the stub chainer mechanism 13 described above, the fluid containing means 26 acts in the same manner, so that impedance matching within the case body 10 can be smoothly adjusted.

Note that although the embodiment described above is particularly exemplified with respect to an applicator for deep heating, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to an applicator for heating the back surface.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention is constructed and functions as described below, according to this, even if bubbles are generated in the cooling mechanism due to changes in the flow of the coolant and promotion of cooling of the heating surface, etc., the bubbles can be efficiently removed. An unprecedented and excellent applicator for heating therapy that can almost completely eliminate the inconvenience of the conventional example in that the electromagnetic wave output of the applicator decreases over time due to the fact that the electromagnetic wave output of the applicator decreases over time. can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view including a coolant guide showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a power side view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a right side view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view including a coolant guide. Figures 1 and 5 are perspective views showing the radio wave lens part used in Figure 1, and Figures 7 and 5 are the radio wave lenses intertwined with the arrows . 8 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-■ in FIG. 8,
Figures 10 and 11 are explanatory views showing the convergence of electromagnetic waves, Figure 12 is a right side view of Figure 1 with the insulating film member removed, and Figure 13 is the liquid inflow L in Figure 12.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the attached state of FIG. 1, and FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a conventional example. 10... Case body, IOC... Oil as insulating oil, 11... Electromagnetic wave power supply part, 1
4... Electromagnetic wave emitting end, 39... Bubble escape device (h) piping. Patent applicant: Kiku i+!! Makoto (Year 13 people)
Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 12 Figure 1O Figure 77 Figure 12 'JOB Figure 13 Figure 74 Figure 15

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A case body having an electromagnetic wave power supply section at one end and a radio wave lens section at the other end, and the surface side of a heating section equipped at the electromagnetic wave emitting end of the radio wave lens section of this case body. A heating therapy applicator comprising a cooling mechanism for cooling, and a piping section for allowing a cooling liquid to flow into the cooling mechanism from the outside or for allowing the cooling liquid to flow out to the outside, wherein the inside of the cooling mechanism and the inside of the radio wave lens section are An applicator for heating therapy, characterized in that the electromagnetic wave power feeding section side of the radio wave lens section is equipped with a bubble escape means that communicates with the outside.