1981-12-02
1986-02-25
Cohen, Lee S.
Surgery
Truss
Pad
A61N 104
Patent
active
045722145
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an electrode device intended to be temporarily inserted into the body of a living being and essentially locally to treat biological body tissue therein and subsequently, upon completion of the treatment, to be removed. The device includes an electrode unit introducable into the body tissue which it is intended to treat, and a supply unit electrically insulated against other parts of the body for the supply of electricity from a voltage source to the electrode unit.
Various electrodes are already known, for example through the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,103,690 and 3,348,548 and through the German Pat. Nos. 577 722, 651,428 and 1 143 937.
Known electrode designs for the treatment of biological tissue are unsuitable for several reasons.
In order, for example, to treat a tumour with direct current, the electrode which is to be inserted in the tumour and which is arranged to electrically interact with a secondary electrode which is located outside the tumour must be localized with great precision in the centre of the tumour. With prior art electrodes, it is very difficult to achieve exact positioning and retention of the electrode in the tumour. One of the reasons for this is that the tissue and the tumour may move, for instance as a consequence of the respiratory motions of the patient. Moreover, the tumour, where the point of the electrode reaches to and is to be inserted into the tumour, may slide aside in surrounding softer tissue. This means that repeated attempts frequently have to be made in order for an acceptable positioning of the tumour to be obtained.
Severe problems in the treatment of tissues also arise as a consequence of gas formation, dehydration and/or material deposition on the surfaces of the electrode.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an electrode device which permits certain and exact insertion and retention as well as removal of the active electrode unit in a biological tissue without being moved out of position, for example in a tumour. A further object of the invention is to provide an electrode device with the aid of which gases generated at the surfaces of the electrode can be sucked out and liquid and/or medication can be supplied to the tumour.
These and other objects are obtained with the electrode device according to the present invention, in that said device includes generally cylindrical hollow electrode means to be introduced into body tissue to reach a treatment point in relation to the body tissue for applying a potential at the treatment point. A tubular pliable supply unit provides for a supply of electricity from a voltage source to the electrode means, one end of the supply unit being coaxially fitted to the electrode means and the other end of the supply unit being arranged to extend outside the body. The supply unit has at least one duct extending over its length and communicating at one end with the outside of the body, and at the other end with an end of the electrode means which opens towards the treatment point in the body tissue. Means operatively associated with the electrode means introduces the electrode means into the body tissue, and means are provided for anchoring the electrode means at the treatment point in relation to the body tissue to be treated.
Other essential features of the present invention are evident from the accompanying claims. One embodiment of the invention is described below and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
FIG. 1 shows a cut-away view of an example of an embodiment of the electrode device according to the invention,
FIG. 1a shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
FIG. 2 shows a first stage in the introduction of the electrode device in the direction towards a tumour,
FIG. 3 shows the introduction of an aid, for example an anchoring device, in the tumour,
FIG. 4 shows the electrode device inserted with the aid of the anchoring device and a stiffening member, for example a cannula, and
FIG. 5 shows the electrode device with the anchoring device and cannula removed. Ac
REFERENCES:
patent: 452220 (1891-05-01), Gunning
patent: 3411507 (1968-11-01), Wingrove
patent: 3769984 (1973-11-01), Muench
patent: 3952742 (1976-04-01), Taylor
patent: 4103690 (1978-08-01), Harris et al.
Nordenstrom Bjorn E. W.
Olsson Mats J.
Cohen Lee S.
URSUS Konsult AB
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