Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical therapeutic systems
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-15
2001-05-29
Nasser, Jr., Robert L. (Department: 3736)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical therapeutic systems
C607S096000, C607S101000, C607S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238421
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a device and method for use with metal implants in living beings to heat cells immediately surrounding a metallic implant. The device and method can be used, for example, for treatment of hyperplastic cell growth conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Metallic implants are successfully used inside living beings for many purposes. For example, stents, or tubular endoprosthesises, are used in the human vascular system to widen or prevent further narrowing, or stenosis, caused by arteriosclerosis. A stent is often placed in a vessel after an angioplasty. Angioplasty is a known procedure for widening a vessel, but may cause trauma resulting in longitudinal ruptures in the intima. Application of a stent to the region of the angioplasty provides a continuous widening force on the vessel wall. However, the damaged blood vessel can react by generating cells to repair itself. In some cases, excessive cell generation, termed “intimal hyperplasia,” occurs at the intima surrounding the stent. Intimal hyperplasia is the abnormal multiplication of normal cells in an abnormal cell arrangement in the tissue. Hyperplasia may result in a re-narrowing of the blood vessel, or restenosis.
Metallic implants can also be used to palliatively treat the narrowing of hollow organs caused by tumors. For example, tumors near the trachea, esophagus, biliary ducts, or urinary tract can press upon and narrow these organs. A stent can be placed in the organ to preserve its shape and function. A stent is typically constructed of frame of material, called a stent matrix, which includes a pattern of interstices. The tumor may eventually grow into the stent, through these interstices, thus causing narrowing of the stented hollow organ. As a result, continued growth of the tumor may overcome the palliative effect of the stent.
Aneurysms, internal bleeding of vessels, leakages of vessels, and tumorous vessels can be occluded by metallic implants, such as metallic spirals or stents, put in over catheters to seal the vessel leak. However, complete occlusion is not always achieved because blood leakage may continue through spaces in the spiral or stent matrix following the placement of the stent in the vessel. Therefore, the aneurysm, for example, may continue to grow despite the presence of the implant, and the bleeding may not be completely stopped. Currently, stents covered with DACRON® material are often used to seal an aneurysm. However, the stents covered with DACRON® material are thick and therefore require a large introduction site and may stretch the vessel wall considerably.
Therefore, a device and treatment method are needed which reduce the excessive tissue reaction, for example, in restenosis following angioplasty. There is also a need for a device and treatment method for reducing the excrescence of tumor cells surrounding metallic implants. Further, a device and treatment method are needed to complete a vascular occlusion by metallic implants without invasive procedures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a system for heating cells surrounding a metallic implant implanted in a living being, comprising an RF generator to generate an RF signal. The system also includes an induction coil coupled to the RF generator to receive the RF signal therefore, the coil having an aperture therethrough sufficiently wide to receive a portion of the living being so that the metallic implant is locatable within the coil, and a controller coupled to the generator to control the RF signal applied to the coil. According to the invention an RF induction signal at a location within the coil is operative to inductively heat a metallic implant placed within the coil.
The invention also describes a method for heating cells surrounding a metallic implant in a living being, the method comprising inductively heating the metallic implant to a temperature sufficient to heat the cells.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and the detailed description which follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4448198 (1984-05-01), Turner
patent: 4633875 (1987-01-01), Turner
patent: 5010897 (1991-04-01), Leveen
patent: 5160828 (1992-11-01), Olsen
patent: 5713941 (1998-02-01), Robins et al.
patent: 2254004 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 9412101 (1994-06-01), None
Günther Rolf. W.
Schmitz-Rode Thomas
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nasser Jr. Robert L.
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