CN102811676B

CN102811676B - There is the medical firing equipment of self limiting electrical heating elements

Info

Publication number: CN102811676B
Application number: CN201180012016.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 泰·C·程; 埃尔伯特·T·程; 杰奎琳·T·程
Original assignee: Curo Medical Inc
Current assignee: Curo Medical Inc
Priority date: 2010-01-05
Filing date: 2011-01-04
Publication date: 2017-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-04
Also published as: JP2013516281A; EP2521503A1; JP6054748B2; BR112012016579A2; CN102811676A; JP2017012862A; EP2521503A4; KR20120117019A; KR101844086B1; WO2011084957A1

Abstract

Miniature hand-held medical treatment firing equipment is using the electric heater being formed by the self limiting conductive material of such as conducting polymer or pottery etc.This material has the resistance gradually changing with temperature, thus the heat through the electric current generation of this material makes resistance change.Insulating jacket comprises self limiting heating element, and this self limiting heating element can be coupled to power supply.In one embodiment, the probe being thermally coupled to heater stretches out from chuck.In another embodiment, self limiting conductive material and one of the electrode pair (or three electrodes) being adapted to tissue transmission radio-frequency (RF) energy electrode are in series.

Description

There is the medical firing equipment of self limiting electrical heating elements

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The application is application number 12/652,626 (attorney docket 028486- being filed on January 5th, 2010 000100US) with the application number 12/783,714 (attorney docket 078486-000200US) being filed on May 20th, 2010 Part continuation application, the entire disclosure of above-mentioned application is incorporated by reference in this.

Background of invention

1. technical field.Present invention relates in general to armarium and method, in particular it relates to include disappearing to organize Melt, organize cutting or tissue to reduce and the medical firing equipment to the probe that target tissue heats, and be related to this kind equipment Energy supply and control.

2. description of Related Art.Medical firing equipment is used for tissue treatment and ablation at present in many therapeutic schemes.Logical Often, using the radio frequency between 2 points induct electric arc or by through body to grounding apparatus conduct electric current generate heat.Such spy Head can melt, cutting or when reducing tissue, tissue burnt.Cautery is to be produced by electric current heating metal probe Conduction of heat and to the process closed of tissue, wherein heating prevents the bleeding of the blood vessel in soft tissue.Correlation interested Patent and open inclusion：U.S. Patent number 4,026,300；4,411,266；5,190,517；5,345,305；5,554,679；6, 039,734；6,132,426；6,139,545；6,312,392；6,451,011；6,770,072；7,220,951；7,309, 849；7,476,242 and 7,483,738；US publication 2007/0167943；PCT Publication WO2006/009705 and WO2008/014465；And Ramsay et al. (1985) Urol Res 13:99-102；Hernandez-Zendejas et al. (1994)Aesth Plas Surg18:41-48；Utley et al. (1999) Arch Facial Plast Surg 1:46-48； And Newman (2009), " Radiofrequency Energy for Denervation of Selected Facial Muscles:Clinical Experiences at Six Months”,The Internet Journal of Plastic Surgery,Volume 5,Number 2.

Electrosurgery is the electric current applying high frequency, often radio frequency to tissue, as carrying out to tissue cutting, solidifying Gu, be dried or the means fulgerized.Its benefit includes accurately being cut and loses blood limited.Electrosurgery is also included so Surgical procedure：Wherein generate heat using high-frequency alternating current, thus the part of one or more local of ablation tissue, And do not heat the other kinds of tissue near target tissue.Electrosurgery equipment physically contacts with target using probe spline structure Tissue, wherein this class formation can be the electrode type playing the effect that electric current reaches tissue.Electrosurgery equipment is usual Tissue is caused with significant physical injury.

A problem relevant with (based on electric arc) electrosurgery firing equipment is may be in medical clinic, operation There is the danger of electrical fire in room or hospital.Electric current transmission equipment passes through tissue to reach the path of ground connection from power supply in electric current Lack and fully control.Produced tissue heating amount be also difficult to control to, thus potentially result in as treatment side effect need not Damage.

Other kinds of medical treatment firing equipment is using by switch or thermocouple thermostatically controlled resistor-type electrical heating elements.This A little equipment to control heat production and probe temperature basically by fully open or fully closing electrical heating elements, thus causing medical treatment The ablation probe of equipment or the temperature fluctuation of cutting probe, this is not optimal for ablation of tissue or tissue cutting purpose 's.

Nerve is than larger cell.Each neurocyte comprises cell space, multiple dendron, axonal fibers and multiple aixs cylinder eventually End.Cell space is the middle body of nerve, and it wraps celliferous nucleus.The diameter range of cell space can be from 4 to 100 microns.Axle Prominent and dendron is the filamentous stretching out from cell space.Generally, many dendrons go out around cell space and from it branch, and There is the length up to hundreds of micron.Aixs cylinder is that the single cable shape stretching out from cell space projects, and it can extend beyond cell space 100 times of diameter.Electrochemical nerve signal is carried off cell space by aixs cylinder, to efficiently control one or more muscle.Axon terminal Opposite positioned at the cell space end of aixs cylinder.Generally, axon terminal terminates among the branching networks of synapse, and synapse discharges chemical substance To communicate with one or more muscle or its hetero-organization, or lead to one or more muscle or other groups with being derived from Other dendrons of another neurocyte in neurocyte chain knitted or cell space communicate.

Generally, a large amount of aixs cylinders from many cells collect bundled together in big pipeline, and this pipeline is referred to as epineurium, There is inside it pipeline of other nestings.From direct surround each aixs cylinder be referred to as endoneurial internal pipeline or sheath Rise, the physiological structure of these pipelines is analyzed.Multiple aixs cylinders assemble bunchy typically together, and are subject to referred to as nerve further The protection of the middle level sheath of bundle film.Additionally, the aixs cylinder of multiple nerve tract perineuriums is generally nested in referred to as epineurial outer intrathecal.Cause This, each aixs cylinder obtains at least three sheaths from outermost layer to innermost layer, i.e. epineurium, perineurium and endoneurium Protection.Note, each big pipeline or epineurium comprise many bundle endoneurium pipelines, therefore, it is possible to cut off one completely The aixs cylinder of a little neurocytes, and the intact nervous inner membrance retaining other neurocytes stands intact.

The basic classification system that system (Seddon system) is for describing nerve injury stepped on by plug, wherein has three classes to damage Hinder neurapraxia, aixs cylinder is interrupted and neurotmesiies.For neurapraxia, the integrity of aixs cylinder is retained, therefore Endoneurium, perineurium and epineurium all stand intact, but in the conduction of the electrochemistry pulse descending along aixs cylinder Exist and interrupt.This is nerve injury form the slightest.The life that neurapraxia is typically caused by the concussion damage to cell Change and damage.There is temporary function to lose, this can reverse within a few hours to the several months (average 6 to 8 weeks) damaged.

For aixs cylinder is interrupted, the integrity of aixs cylinder is destroyed, but endoneurium, perineurium and epineurium are not Significantly punctured or deformed.Result is typically to lose while motor function and sensory function, but with by aixs cylinder again Recovering this obtained from life is a process being occurred with daily given pace, recovers generally longer than neurapraxia spends Time.For neurapraxia and aixs cylinder interrupt, intact endoneurium provides guiding for axon regeneration, wherein god Through regenerating along endoneurium tubule.

On the contrary, for neurotmesiies, the integrity of supporting construction is destroyed or is punctured, thus having interrupted axon regeneration Grow and replant.Generally, damage from cell serious contusion, pull or laceration, or enough to endoneurium, perineurium or The destruction within other cellularity that epineurium interferes.Result be typically motor function, sensory function and independently god Completely losing through function.Therefore, electrochemical signals cannot complete the connection with muscle or target tissue.Neurotmesiies are typically forever Long property.

Comparatively speaking, the neurotmesiies of temporary pattern are derived from and are frequently injected into neurocyte or are expelled near neurocyte The neurotoxicity caused by local anesthetic.Anesthetis have also interrupted being sent to the electrochemical signals of muscle, thus leading to move The forfeiture of function, sensory function and autonomic nervous function.Botulinum toxin that popular wrinkle-removal cosmetic art is used orIt is used as neuromodulator, it acts on neuromuscular junction with the conduction between block nerves and muscle, thus Lead to muscular paralysises to reduce wrinkle.

For these reasons it is desirable to provide self limiting medical treatment firing equipment, this equipment improves to tissue heating amount simultaneously Control and the control to position and improve for patient and operator safety.It is also expected to providing such ability：Pass through Electric current heater producing the various degrees of cell injury from the neurapraxia of minimum level to complete neurotmesiies, simultaneously Its hetero-organization in target area is caused with the same period physical injury of minimum.It is also expected to providing temporary effect or permanent to patient The alleviation of property and there is no surface texture open defect.Invention described below will meet at least some of these targets Target.

Content of the invention

In a first aspect of the present invention, medical firing equipment has the resistance heater being formed by self limiting conductive material Element.Self limiting conductive material can be conducting polymer or conducting ceramic material it is characterised in that the electricity that changes with temperature Resistance, so that the heat production through the electric current of this material preferably changes with temperature automatically, by temperature control in target control At value processed or near target control value.Shell is typically at least that insulating jacket comprises heating element Point, this heating element for example can be coupled to the power supply generally also among shell by wiring.Heat conduction is popped one's head in from chuck Or other shells stretch out, and it is thermally coupled to electrical heater element.Medical firing equipment can be used for such method：Its In, the end of probe or other exposed surfaces touch target tissue, for removing to the heating ablation of tissue, nerve, cutting or contract Little, or if probe is hollow pipe, then be used for applying heated material to target tissue.The temperature of probe is because for heater The temperature dependency resistance of the conductive material of element and there is self limiting, therefore equipment has the operation temperature of " automatic control ", and Superheated to target tissue and/or underheat have been reduced or avoided.

In a second aspect of the present invention, across target tissue applying radio frequency or other high-frequency electric fields, thus leading to electric current to pass through institute State target tissue and " conduction ".By Ohmic heating or Joule heating from this electric current produce heat, wherein consequent heat with should The magnitude of current square proportional.Create " damage zone " in place of tissue is heated to above normal temperature.Heating is with good Controlled way occurs, and wherein the temperature of damage zone will not be increased beyond maximum temperature.The heating carefully controlling can cause to expect Precise cell damage.Heat production in damage zone by with target tissue in electric current be electrically connected in series self limiting conductive material electricity group Part is controlling.Self limiting conductive material electrical component accurately controls the electric current across target tissue flowing.

Heat production in tissue and temperature are raised and are directly proportional to the amount of the high frequency electric directly through tissue, the wherein temperature of rising The persistent period of degree and degree, together with the positions and dimensions of damage zone, mainly determine type and the degree of cell damage together, And this transfers to decide whether that obtaining desired precise cell damages.Therefore, the present invention controls to produce using accurate high frequency electric Raw realization is directed to the accurate floor level cell injury required for expected result of patient and not past this level, thus This result is realized in the case of there is no unnecessary cell injury.

The present invention can be used for medical applications, dental applications or veterinary application.The illustrative embodiments of the present invention have Cosmetic applications, including wrinkle treatment and subcutaneous tissue reconstruct.Illustrative embodiments are additionally operable to therapeutic application, including muscle convulsion The treatment of contraction and chronic pain and the control of one or more muscle to other target tissues.Illustrative embodiments are designed For specifically affecting nervous tissue, wherein desired cell injury be intended to temporarily or permanently " to benumb " nerve or Person's cut-out nerve is connected with the electrochemistry leading to nerve to the contractile function of muscle between muscle.However, with manufacturing technology with Era change, the probe/probe in apparatus of the present invention can be processed to the chi with the fitting dimensions of specific cells interested Very little, thus the present invention can be used for any kind of in vivo cell being matched with probe/probe size or organ are caused desired Precise cell damages, and wherein cell can be known or unknown any types human cell.Other special-purposes include cautery, That is, stop bleeding by applying heat, and treat migraine by benumbing nervi trigeminus.

Present invention accordingly provides high-frequency ac armarium and its using method.This armarium can be battery powered Hand-held low-power small generator, its electric current that high-frequency alternating current and direct current electricity transmission can be controlled with self limiting conductive material Combine.According to the high-frequency ac armarium of the present invention include power supply, field generator, self limiting conductive material electrical component, At least one probe or needle-like protuberance and at least two conductions being located at least one probe described or needle-like protuberance Segmentation.This at least two conductive segments is electrically connected to described field generator, so that producing electricity between described conductive segments , thus operating in a bipolar fashion.Field generator is inducted in described target tissue or is generated the electric current of exchange property, this electric current Generate heat and cause certain desired precise cell to damage in some target tissues of such as nervous tissue etc.Field generator Non-therapeutic pulse can also be produced, described non-therapeutic pulse is passed through to lure nerve constriction muscle or aobvious before treatment is processed into Illustrate that another observable reaction detects to neurocyte.It can be that neurapraxia is extremely complete that desired precise cell damages Full neurotmesiies, temporarily or permanently cut off therefrom and lead to nerve to the contractile function of muscle between nerve and muscle Electrochemistry connects.Self limiting conductive material electrical component is allowed by being electrically connected in series with the described electric current through described target tissue Such precise cell damages, this is because described self limiting conducting electrical assembly controls the described electric current in target tissue, thus anti- The only superheated of target tissue, and its electrical conductivity is changed by the build-in attribute of self limiting conductive material with temperature and realizes This point.Self limiting conductive material electrical component must be similar to critesistor, thermocouple or switch electrically showing.Self limiting is led Electric material can be positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material, negative temperature coefficient (NTC) material, zero-temperature coefficient (ZTC) material or its Combination.High-frequency ac armarium may diminish to enough to hand-held.Power supply, field generator, self limiting conductive material electrical component, extremely A few probe or needle-like protuberance and at least two conductive segments can be integrated into an equipment, and this equipment is light and little Ingeniously it is sufficient to being gripped and effectively manipulated to carry out surgical operation by surgeon comfort.

Therefore, in particular aspects of the present invention, medical firing equipment includes hand-held housing, and it limits inside, and this is interior Portion contains：Power supply；A part for heat conduction probe, this part is typically remote extension out from one end of shell, And it is far most advanced and sophisticated to have contact tissue；And temperature varying coefficient (TCC) element, it is typically positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element Or combination type negative temperature coefficient (NTC) and zero-temperature coefficient (ZTC) element, it provides resistance to become in response to temperature change Change, typically increase when using PTC, wherein, the scope of resistance variations is the order of magnitude from 2 to 4, and the model of temperature change Enclosing is from 20 DEG C to about 100 DEG C, typically from 30 DEG C to about 80 DEG C, but in some applications can be using bigger temperature Change.In other words, when the temperature of TCC material changes 1 order of magnitude in these temperature ranges, measurement in units of ohm Resistance value generally will increase (or in other cases reduce) 2 to 4 orders of magnitude.Electric current leads to material by TCC element Material temperature degree rises, and heat conduction probe is coupled to TCC element so that the contact tissue that heat is popped one's head in from TCC cell conducts to heat conduction Far-end.By this way, the far tip of probe can contact against tissue, to be transmitted in the heat generate in TCC element.With Along probe conduction, the temperature of TCC material will cool down heat, thus leading to the reduction of resistance in ptc material.As this specification exists Discussed below, when resistance reduces, the electric current flowing through PTC will increase, so that temperature is to the flex point of PTC curve (Fig. 8) Recover.

Medical firing equipment preferably includes the PTC-element having as hereinafter described specific composition herein.Example power will Can be dc-battery, and example shell will include insulating jacket.PTC-element can take many forms.For example, PTC-element Form can be at least one coil being wound on around core electricity partition, the effect of wherein electric partition is electrically isolated PTC-element Some regions other regions of described PTC-element are electrically connected to described power supply simultaneously, thus formed through coil length Current path.Or, the form of PTC-element can be the thin slice being rolled in around core electricity partition, wherein relatively the two of thin slice End connects to power supply to provide the current path through whole thin slice.3rd, the form of PTC-element can be such elongated Coil：It has through itself or the longitudinal channel that extends above, and PTC-element is connected to power supply.Heat conduction probe can Take many forms, it is typically needle probe, be alternatively the hollow pipe with multiple any one of round-shaped shapes. Or, probe can have the remote tip of atraumatic, and this remote tip can be round, spin, blunt nosed, etc..

Above-described medical treatment firing equipment can be used for transmitting heat to tissue location.Electric current passes through TCC or PTC from power supply Element, thus heat TCC or PTC-element.Heat conduction probe distal tissue contact end be engaged against target tissue site, and heat then by Send tissue to.As described above, the transmission of heat leads to probe cooling, this transfers to lead to PTC-element to cool down, thus reducing its electricity Resistance.When resistance reduces, electric current will increase, thus generate more hot and so that PTC-element is recovered to flex point.

In further aspect of the invention, high frequency medical treatment firing equipment includes hand-held housing, and this shell has and is suitable for holding Receive the inner chamber of various apparatus assemblies.Power supply and field generator are all accommodated in inside the shell.Field generator is from usually electricity The power supply in pond draws electric current, and generates radio frequency (RF) electric current or other high frequency electrics.At least one tissue probe is coupled to hand-held Shell and have thereon two conductive segments (or alternatively two or more tissue probe on there is a conduction Segmentation), wherein conductive segments are adapted for engaging RF energy and being sent to tissue.Temperature varying coefficient (TCC) material, preferably Ground is positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element similar with above-mentioned material, is also installed in hand-held housing, and is connected to electric field and sends out Between raw device and power supply.When field generator transmits more energy to conductive segments, will increase through the electric current of PTC-element Greatly, thus leading to it to generate heat and raising the temperature.The raising of temperature will reduce the electric current being sent to field generator, thus subtracting Small current and by current control in desired target level.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, tissue probe can be provided on such assembly：This assembly is removable Remove ground or be detachably connectable to shell, so that different tissue probes can interchangeably be attached to shell.For example, may be used To provide the tissue probe assembly with single tissue probe, a pair of tissue probe or three tissue probes, so that it Can be interchangeably coupled to hand-held housing.In some cases, tissue probe can be penetration into tissue, for controlling Treat.In other cases, tissue probe can be non-penetration into tissue, particularly when handheld device is for stimulating nerve Particularly true.In this case, field generator will be adapted to optionally to transmit penetrating of certain type and amplitude Frequency energy or DC energy are typically direct current, and this will add to nerve when tissue probe is engaged against the skin of patient To stimulate.This is particularly conducive to nerve is positioned, and then probe assembly can be replaced with penetration into tissue probe With RF energy, this nerve is acted upon after assembly.

Brief description

Figure 1A is the perspective view of example handss part, this handss part include self limiting electrical heating elements, insulating jacket, cutting probe with And be connected with the circuit of power supply.Figure 1B and Fig. 1 C is the alternative perspective view of the handss part according to the present invention.

Fig. 2A and Fig. 3 A is the first embodiment of medical firing equipment and the distal probe of second embodiment respectively Partial cut-away perspective view, which illustrates two kinds of different heating element heater arrangements.Fig. 2 B and Fig. 3 B is the cross section of Fig. 2A and Fig. 3 A Figure.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is the office of the distal probe of the 3rd embodiment of medical firing equipment and the 4th embodiment respectively Portion's broken-open perspective view, which illustrates the interpolation of the optional sensor in the interpolation and Fig. 5 of the replaceable probe module in Fig. 4.Figure 5A is the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is the circuit diagram of medical firing equipment.

Fig. 7 is the logarithmic chart with temperature (C) change curve for the resistance (ohm) of preferred PTC self limiting electrical heating elements.

Fig. 8 is the resistance (ohm) of PTC self limiting electrical heating elements with the logarithmic chart of temperature (C) change curve and on/off The comparison of the logarithmic chart with temperature (C) change curve for the resistance (ohm) of switch.

Fig. 9 A, Fig. 9 B, Fig. 9 C and Fig. 9 D depict NTC, ZTC, NTC/ZTC admixture and PTC/ZTC admixture Resistance (ohm) with temperature (C) change curve logarithmic chart.

Figure 10 is the resistance of the various conducting polymer base materials with different polymer softening points (with respect at 25 DEG C Resistance) with temperature (C) change curve logarithmic chart, for selecting suitably for the ablation of tissue specified or tissue cutting application Conducting polymer materials.

Figure 11 is the circuit diagram of the basic model of armarium with two probes or needle-like protuberance.

Figure 11 A is the circuit diagram of the basic model of armarium with a probe or needle-like outthrust.

Figure 12 is the circuit diagram of the example medical equipment being constructed according to the principle of the invention.

Figure 13 illustrates to be attached and remove the perspective view of the example medical equipment of replaceable tip, with every kind of situation Enlarged drawing.Figure 13 A shows alternative replaceable tip, and it has non-penetrating electrode it is intended to be used on a skin surface Nerve stimulation.

Figure 14 A is the cross-sectional view of armarium.

Figure 14 B is the top view of armarium.Figure 14 B also defines transversal plane 14A.

Figure 14 C is the sectional view of Figure 14 B.

Figure 15 is the amplification of the side elevational view of the far-end to armarium.

Figure 16 is the amplification of the top view of the far-end to armarium.

Specific embodiment

The present invention provides a kind of armarium and its using method.Included in its far-end according to the armarium of the present invention At least one probe or needle-like protuberance and at least two leading of being located at least one probe described or needle-like protuberance Electric segmentation.At least one probe or needle-like protuberance be inserted in body cavity or bodily tissue, when the time comes can also described extremely Electric current is conducted between few two conductive segments.In " single probe or needle-like protuberance " pattern, described at least two conductive segments It is located on unique probe or needle-like protuberance.In " dual probe or needle-like protuberance " pattern, described at least two conductive points One of section is usually located on each of two probes or needle-like protuberance.Probe or needle-like protuberance are generally inserted into bag In tissue containing target cell or body cavity, or it is inserted near this class loading or body cavity；Then conduct electricity between described segmentation Stream, to cause desired precise cell to damage.Probe or needle-like protuberance can be plugged in tissue, so that electric current is subcutaneous Occur.In this way, the damage field that heat limits is entirely subcutaneous, thus causing to the outward appearance on tissue surface Little change.Armarium also includes power supply, and this power supply can apply treatment across described at least two conductive segments or diagnosis has The electric field of effect, to generate suitable electric current in target tissue.Power supply can be alternating current and/or unidirectional current.

In certain embodiments, armarium also includes field generator, and this field generator can be by described power supply Power supply, and generate the one or more electric fields across described at least two conductive segments.Preferably, field generator is small but excellent micro- 's.Electric field can be with continuous wave Form generation, and described continuous wave form has sine wave, triangular wave or square wave etc., and with Various frequencies, intensity and polarization generate, to produce desired heating thus leading to desired precise cell to damage.Or, Electric field can also have DC pulse property, such as sine wave, triangular wave or square wave or similar pulse shape.Electric field occurs Device can be simultaneously emitted by several pulse of different shapes and continuous wave.Example electric generator can be as small as enough to hand-held but But using hand-held direct current battery power, 3 watts of electric field can also be supplied in 150 ohm with 460KHz, although strong according to battery Degree and other conditions may have more or less of power to be transmitted.

The armarium of the present invention also includes the self limiting conduction material being electrically connected in series with the described electric current through target tissue Material electrical component.The definition of " self limiting conductive material " is：The material that its resistive properties becomes with its temperature.Self limiting conductive material Critesistor in the electric heating circuit being functionally similar to target tissue electrically playing for the electrical component, thermoelectricity occasionally switch.Real On border, self limiting conductive material electrical component controls the electric current through target tissue, and thus controls around target tissue and target tissue The temperature of tissue.Particularly as described below, providing preferred self limiting conductive material, it has the temperature-responsive of critesistor Curve, is advantageously used among the equipment of the present invention.

Whole armarium may diminish to enough to hand-held.Power supply, field generator, self limiting conductive material electrical component, extremely A few probe or needle-like protuberance and at least two conductive segments can be integrated into an equipment (being in total inside the shell), This equipment light and compact it is sufficient to being gripped and effectively manipulated to carry out surgical operation by surgeon comfort.

Medical firing equipment 10 (Fig. 1-Fig. 5) includes：Self limiting electrical heating elements 20, it is by cable circuit connection 40 Coupled to power supply 30 (Fig. 6).As discussed below, medical firing equipment 10 also includes：Insulating jacket 50, heat conduction probe 60 and Core electricity partition 70.

Self limiting electrical heating elements 20 must be similar to the standard electric heating unit being connected in series with critesistor electrically showing Part.Therefore, in figure 6, self limiting electrical heating elements 20 are by the electrical heating elements symbol being connected in series with critesistor symbol 23 Represented by 26.In fact, critesistor attribute is regulated and controled to the electric current through electrical heating elements.In reality, following article institute More detailed description, self limiting electrical heating elements 20 are electrical components, mainly comprise different materials and (include base material and conductiving doping Including thing) homogeneous blend.

Self limiting electrical heating elements 20 show and must be similar to electrical heating elements 26, this is because heat mainly comes produced by it From in there is electronics in heating element heater, ion or other charged particle collision.Such pyrogenicity collision is by across heating element heater Electric field caused by, and this electric field be then by through heating element heater connect have voltage V and electric current I power supply 30 electric wire electricity Road connection 40 is led to.See Fig. 6.This phenomenon is referred to as Ohmic heating, Joule heating or resistance heating.With regard to Ohmic heating For, produced by the present invention, heat Q and the electric current through self limiting electrical heating elements 20 is square proportional, i.e. Q ≈ I².

Self limiting electrical heating elements 20 show and must be similar to critesistor 23, this is because its resistance R is as the function of temperature T And change, and this is the definition of critesistor.Because this relation is typically nonlinear, therefore using the logarithm chi of resistivity Spend and to illustrate the relation (Fig. 7-Figure 10) of itself and temperature.If resistance increases with temperature and increase, device is referred to as positive temperature Coefficient (PTC) critesistor or posistor.If resistance increases with temperature and reduce, device is referred to as subzero temperature Degree coefficient (NTC) critesistor.Resistor designs become to have constant resistance on wide temperature range, and are sometimes referred to as zero temperature Degree coefficient (ZTC) material, this can be another subset of critesistor.Here, PTC, NTC and ZTC material is referred to as temperature becoming Change coefficient (TCC) material.

The attribute of Ohmic heating and temperature-responsive resistance regulates and controls the temperature of self limiting electrical heating elements 20 jointly.By making The temperature change of the medical cutting equipment being led to equipment leads to the change of resistance.Resistance is inversely proportional to electric current, i.e. R ≈ I^-1. As described above, produced heat and I²Proportional, thus, Q ≈ 1/R^-2.Therefore, the little change of resistance leads to self limiting electrical heating The heat production of element 20 has relatively large change.However, there is maximum R, at this maximum R, resistance becomes too much, so that Cannot allow power supply with terms of 20 heating element between circuit be connected.Higher than this temperature, heater can turn off, thus Cause quickly to cool down.

In specific and preferred implementation, self limiting electrical heating elements 20 are made up of ptc material.Fig. 7 is suitable The curve chart to temperature for the resistivity in the ptc heater material using in the present invention.Suitable method has with temperature (between T in the middle part of the resistivity being gradually increased, such as curve chart_LWith T_HBetween) shown in positive slope characteristic.Additionally, in curve chart T₀There is flex point in place.When temperature is elevated above T₀When, resistivity is increased with speed decrescence with temperature.Thus, when temperature liter is paramount In T₀When, there is the gentle reduction occurring with speed decrescence in heat production.When temperature is brought down below T₀When, resistivity is with temperature Reduced with speed decrescence.Thus, when temperature is brought down below T₀When, there is the gentle increasing occurring with speed decrescence in heat production Greatly.With reference to Fig. 7, from T₀To T_HResistivity is gradually increased, thus reducing heat production, thus heating element is cooled back to T₀.Equally Ground, from T₀To T_LResistivity is gradually reduced, thus increasing heat production, thus heater element heats are returned to T₀.In T₀There is number in place Stable temperature spot on, it is also called flex point.The material with this flex point relation produces the optkmal characteristics of the present invention, its The stability with optimum is thus keep equipment to be stably placed at T₀.Therefore, ptc heater its be placed on strong to being enough to When generating in the electric field of heat-generating current, " automatic temperature-adjusting control " can be carried out or have intrinsic equilibrium temperature T₀.Additionally, it is steady State temperature is held in T across the fluctuation voltage from direct current or the wide scope of alternating current power supply 30₀.

Any standard electrical heating elements combining with " thermostat " or thermocouple can be provided in T₀Environment temperature " on-off " of fluctuation controls.However, such on-off controls needing connecting temperature T_LWith shutoff temperature T_HBetween skew " late Stagnant ", thus leading in T₀Surrounding significantly temperature fluctuation.On the contrary, self limiting electrical heating elements 20 provide and have less fluctuating More stable control.See Fig. 8, wherein T₀For 75 DEG C.In the case of using switch, heater is in all-pass or complete switches off. As a result, heater is to target temperature T₀While adjustment zero, continuously it is circulated to zero heat production from high heat production. On the other hand, using the present invention, resistance only gradually changes with temperature, thus making target temperature T₀The fluctuation of surrounding minimizes While, only gradually change heat production.

In transition temperature T₀Under, the compositionss for switch have low-down resistance, about 10 ohm or less. Therefore, on-off switch is in slightly below T₀At a temperature of fully switched on heater.On the other hand, the example self limiting electricity of the present invention Heating element heater 20 is only only down to about 1000 ohm, thus only result in heat production being at the same temperature increased slightly.Warm higher than changing Degree, switchs and can have very high resistance, and about 10⁹Ohm or higher.Therefore, heater is complete switched off by switch.With Compare, the self limiting electrical heating elements compositionss of the present invention only have slightly higher resistance at such a temperature, thus thermal output is only Slightly reduce.In addition, for medical firing equipment, due to equipment may meet with when being fully contacted with tissue at certain a moment big Radiator, and only contact with air and do not meet with any radiator when certain a moment equipment afterwards does not work, therefore this Temperature fluctuation can aggravate.The thermistor-type heating element heater 20 of the present invention therefore produces following medical treatment firing equipment：It is subject to Control the prior art medical treatment firing equipment in on-off temperature switch to compare there is constant target temperature much, even if allowing Still such in the case of the quick fluctuating of the heat sink action being associated with the ablation of tissue of cutting.

Flex point relation between the resistivity of ptc material and temperature is it is further preferred that because it leads to self limiting electricity Heating element heater 20 has in T₀The relatively small temperature deviation in surrounding only several years (for example, 3-10 degree Celsius).Therefore, if T_HWith T_LIt is heater system respectively in the corresponding maximum temperature carrying out when medical treatment uses and minimum temperature, then one or more self limitings Temperature controlling range (the T of electrical heating elements_H-T_L) less than the temperature controlling range of the medical firing equipment element of switching manipulation Much.Exemplary heating element heater 20 generally will provide for about 3 DEG C to 5 DEG C of temperature-control range, and material used adds as medical treatment Critesistor in hot equipment.

Different ablation of tissue or cutting process may need different Optimal Temperature opereating specifications.For example, different Program may need the cutting probe of different shape and size, thus change requiring to radiator, thus changing medical treatment heating The heat production of equipment and temperature range.Melt different target tissues in different programs, this may need medical firing equipment pair Every kind of program has different optimal cutling temperature ranges.Therefore, some ablation of tissue or cutting process may need different Target temperature T₀And different T_HTo T_LOpereating specification.These criterions carefully can be selected by using optimal resistance temperature profile Select adjusted for PTC, NTC or ZTC heater material of self limiting electrical heating elements 20.In addition it is possible to use it is various Alloy and various concentration of dopant changing characteristic to produce different resistance temperature curve figures.Can using PTC, NTC and ZTC material be further combined to produce different resistance temperature curve figures.Many such materials at present all can be Market is buied.

Fig. 9 A comprises the resistance temperature relation of NTC material.This arrangement can be used for creating in operation temperature T₀Place has sharp Operation temperature T of cut-off₀.Fig. 9 B comprises the resistance temperature relation of ZTC material.This arrangement can be used in whole temperature range T_H To T_LThe middle constant thermal output forming certain level.Fig. 9 C comprises the resistance temperature relation of NTC/ZTC admixture.This arrangement Can be used for forming T_HTo T_LWide operating temperature range, it has the constant thermal output being in certain level, but in temperature T_LPlace's tool There is sharp cut-off.Fig. 9 D comprises the resistance temperature relation of PTC/ZTC admixture.This arrangement can be used for forming T_HTo T_LWide behaviour Make temperature range, it has the constant thermal output being in certain level, but in temperature T_LPlace's heat production sharply increases, thus hindering all the time Only probe temperature falls to T_LUnder.

PTC, NTC and ZTC material can be by the crystallization being added with certain conductive " doping " material or semi-crystalline polymer base material Make.For polymer matrix critesistor, transition temperature is caused by the fusing of polymer molecule or solidification.Just crystallize Or for semi-crystalline polymer, molecular structure pile up in solid phase more pile up closely and in the liquid phase less tight.Polymer Molecule is usually dielectric it is therefore necessary to add conductive dopant so that materials conductive.Less than T₀Temperature, great majority Polymer molecule is in solid phase, thus piles up closely, is therefore at its most state of electric conductivity or level.Higher than T₀Temperature Degree, most polymers molecule is in liquid phase, thus loosely-packed, it is therefore at it and least have the state of electric conductivity or level. Identical matrix polymer is selected, transition temperature T₀The general polymer softening point phase one with selected matrix polymer Cause.In figure 6, switch and both heaters are all made up of the polymeric material of same type, thus they have identical and turn Temperature T₀.

The material with these attributes is known, and is commercially available and has a series of transition temperature T₀Material Material.Figure 10 illustrates the different transition temperatures of some the possible polymeric matrixs for conductive polymer compositions.Therefore, right In using polyethylene stearates, polycaprolactone (PCL), ethylene ethyl acrylate (EEA), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), height Density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF2), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), ETFE copolymerization What the matrixes such as thing (ETFE), ethylene perfluoroalkyl alkoxy copolymer (PFA), tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP) were made leads Electric polymer is it was observed that the transition temperature that increases successively.Table 1 shows the crystalline melting point of several polymer.The present invention can The conductive polymer compositions using can include these polymer and in U.S. Patent number 4,514,620 and 5,554,679 Described in those polymer among any polymer, the complete disclosure of above-mentioned patent is incorporated by reference in this.PTC、NTC Can also be obtained by blending two or more conducting polymers with ZTC material.

Table 1

Polymer type	Fusing point (C)
		Vestenamer " " 8012 (cyclooctane polymer)	40-55
Ionomer	85-99
		Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)	103-106
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)	105-110
		Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)	122-124
Polybutene 126-127	126-127
		High molecular weight polyethylene (HWPE)	125-132

Super high molecular weight Low Density Polyethylene (UHMWPE)	125-135
		High density polyethylene (HDPE) (HDPE)	130-135
Elastomer mixture	160-165
		Polypropylene (PP)	160-165
Polypropylene block copolymer	160-165
		Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF2)	160-165
Polyamide 12 (PA12)	180
		Polyamide 11 (PA11)	185
Polyamide copolymer	160-220
		Thermoplastic fluoroelastomer	160-220
Thermoplastic elastomer	185-202
		Ethylene-chlorotrifluoro-ethylene copolymer (ECTFE)	190-191
Polyamide 610 (PA610)	215
		Polytrifluorochloroethylene (PCTFE)	215-216
Polyamide 6 (PA6)	220
		Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)	220-223
Merlon (polyester)	200-260
		Poly-4-methylpent-1-alkene	230-240
Polyamide 6-3-T	240
		Polyamide 66 (PA66)	255
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)	250-265
		Ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE)	270-271
Perfluoroalkyl alkoxy copolymer (PFA)	250-305
		Fluorothene-propylene copolymer (FEP)	290-291
Politef (PTFE)	325-327

Dopant material is added to base material so that it is conductive, so allows this material to show and must be similar to heating element heater.Also add Plus alloy is to slow down resistance variations or to widen curve chart discussed above.Alloy is conductive material, such as white carbon black, gold Belong to oxide, semi-conducting material, its admixture etc., or there is electric conductivity and short grained other materials can be made.Logical Cross the type changing alloy and concentration and obtain the ratio resistance temperature relation of PTC, NTC and ZTC material.For example, in Fig. 8 Switch there is alloy with self limiting electrical heating elements same type, but the alloy of self limiting electrical heating elements is dense Degree is much smaller and dispersed.Therefore, in polymer-based composition and use thereof in packaging, the low concentration of conductive particle or density are to be derived from limit A kind of mode of the desired gradually resistance variations of property heating element.In general, the doped level higher than 50% forms and opens Close section bar material, the doped level of 15-40% forms thermistor material, and 10% doped level formed electromagnetic interference and/or Static discharge.Porosity, surface area, particle size and the oxygen content of conductive dopant can also be changed to produce each attribute. Can also add to base material and exceed a type of alloy.Substrate molecule or particles of doped material can actually result in ohm Heating.Therefore, alloy can produce electron transfer or vibration heating or produce both simultaneously.All of these factors taken together with each Kind of carbon black loading level and other factors together lead between the type of alloy and amount and type of substrate close to unlimited number The combination of amount, thus produce close to an infinite number of ratio resistance temperature relation.

PTC, NTC and ZTC material can also be made up of the ceramic material or ceramic based material that are added with conductive dopant.Pottery Ceramic material can be electric conductivity or dielectric according to phase.Ceramic material designing can be become in specified temp T₀Place occurs Phase transformation from solid to liquid or from liquid to solid.Generally, ceramic based material is the bivalence metatitanic acid of Barium metatitanate. and/or correlation Salt and zirconates.Typical alloy includes lead, strontium, rare earth metal, antimony, bismuth etc..Add alloy to increase or to reduce base material Unconventional scope (anomaly range), or further adjust resistivity temperature relation slope.There are different temperature The various ceramic thermal resistance heaters of resistivity relation are commercially available.Ceramic thermal resistance heater material manufacturer Can also make great efforts to set about carrying out special exploration project, to provide the characteristic being especially desired to.

Generally, based on the requirement of medical procedure, especially for the desired operation temperature of particular organization's ablation to be carried out Scope, to select specific self limiting electrical heating elements 20.Suitable self limiting electrical heating elements material can be selected no By being PTC, NTC, ZTC or a combination thereof to produce this temperature range.Note, the chi of probe and both insulant Very little, shape and electrical conductivity and other factors can affect to pop one's head in and heater operating temperature range.Desired in order to produce Resistance temperature curve figure and take into account all of impact aspect in the calculating that carries out.Then select that there is optimal resistance temperature song The most preferably commercially available thermistor material of line chart is coordinating desired specific medical program.

The physical form of suitable self limiting electrical heating elements 20 can include be wound on around core electricity partition 70 one Multiple PTC/NTC/ZTC rings of material or circle 22 or consisting of.See Fig. 2A.Core electricity partition 70 is by a pair of circuit connecting wire 40 Keep interval, to prevent electrical short.The single circle 22 of heating element heater 20 can be connected in parallel to cable circuit connecting line 40, to carry For one group of current path through circle 22.Or, two end turn 22 of heating element heater 20 can connect to cable 40, to produce Current path along the whole length of heater 20.

As shown in Figure 2 B, core electricity partition 70 has the cross section with groove or raceway groove, and this groove or raceway groove accommodate line The longitudinal passage of cable 40 and one or more heat conduction probe 60, or may also accommodate sensor (being not shown on this).Especially It is that core electricity partition 70 can have one group of ongitudinal recess 73, and this group ongitudinal recess 73 has and the corresponding cable received in it 40th, the shape of probe 60 or sensor cluster close match.

Self limiting electrical heating elements 20 or can by be wrapped in core electricity partition 70 around thin layer, sheet form PTC/NTC/ZTC material 24 forms (Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B).Will be thin in the way of providing parallel current path on whole thin slice 24 Piece 24 connects along the length of cable electrode 40.Alternatively possible arrangement can be only to allow a cable 40 thin in distal contact Piece 24, and allow another cable 40 in this thin slice of proximal contact.

Another alternate ways can be using the core electricity partition 70 being made up of self limiting conduction PTC/NTC/ZTC material. Because cable 40 extends past the whole length of core partition 70, therefore electric current is flowed through the main body of separator material parallel to produce Heat.Sold as antifreeze in tank heater, surface heater, pipe or multiple commercially available for domestic hot water temperature maintenance Self regulating and control formula heater cable has configuration which, such as by Tyco Thermal Controls, LLC is with its Raychem Those cables that brand manufactures.In such construction, probe 60 need for example to have electric insulation coating and with conductive spacer material Material 70 electric insulation.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2A/Fig. 2 B and Fig. 3 A/ Fig. 3 B, in addition to core electricity partition 70, there may be and be referred to as Another electricity partition of gasket ring electricity partition 75.Gasket ring partition 75 is electrical insulator in some regions, and is to lead in other regions Heat.Need to be electrically insulated between undesirable all parts with electric conductivity of self limiting heater 20 and circuit connecting wire 40 Material.Heater is connected in series can be differently configured from and is connected in parallel with heater.For example, in figure 3 a, there may be along pad The longitudinal joint of ring partition 75 total length is to provide parallel circle discussed above to connect.It may also be desirable to gasket ring electricity partition 75 at other Region (for example, at probe) is heat conductivity, so that heat can be freely from heater 20 between gasket ring partition 75 It is transferred to pop one's head in 60.

Insulating jacket 50 (Fig. 2A/Fig. 2 B and Fig. 3 A/ Fig. 3 B) can provide at least of the outer surface of handss part or handle Point.Chuck 50 completely cuts off heat produced by heating element heater 20, thus heat being maintained in equipment and providing not heated Handle is to allow user easily control tissue ablation device.Although not drawing in figure, from the beginning chuck 50 generally extends To tail, to cover core electricity partition 70.In figure ia, insulating jacket 50 has the external shape similar to pen.Believe this shape Shape can provide superior equipment as scalpel-type equipment to control and feel.Figure 1B illustrates the chuck with thicker handle 50, this handle is like the handle of screwdriver.Chuck 50 can take the most desired any external form of user institute.

Insulating jacket 50 generally can cover all electronic circuits in handss part.Chuck 50 is preferably by having about log 10¹⁰The high-resistance material of ohm-cm or more high resistivity is made, to accommodate the electric field being formed by circuit.Therefore, medical treatment Equipment 10 preferably will not produce any electromagnetic interference or static discharge.

Heat conduction probe 60 (Fig. 2A/Fig. 2 B and Fig. 3 A/ Fig. 3 B) stretch out from insulating jacket 50, and are thermally coupled to from limit Property electrical heating elements 20.Probe 60 can have any shape in several shape, including circular cross section 62, square cross section 64th, oval, rectangle or other oblong cross sections, round as a ball most advanced and sophisticated 66 or can also be point most advanced and sophisticated, blunt nosed with spin End, as 68 sharp or other puncture tip probe, and even can form hollow pipe, this hollow pipe is suitable for should The fluid of equipment heating is to be applied on target tissue or to be injected in target tissue.Probe also can have more than one probe or Person has multiple prongeds as forked probe.Similarly, probe can with or have cutting, suture or stitching energy Power, and if thus its be heat conductivity to receive heat and heat transfer from the heating element of equipment, then can be formed several Known manipulate any one of medical instrument, those medical instruments such as used in arthroscopic surgery.Example As probe tip can include the instrument for delivering preheated biodegradable nail or other materials to target tissue.Logical The preheated material crossing such instrument delivery can be used for burning blood vessel or ablation nerve or its hetero-organization.

Probe 60 can be a part for the interchangeable modules with probe bracket 61 (Fig. 4), and this probe bracket 61 utilizes Pin, screw, ratchet, spring detents, magnet, adapter or other attachment arrangements and be attached to self limiting electrical heating elements 20th, insulating jacket 50 or electric partition 70.Fig. 4 depicts the pin 63 that can be attached to core 70.Under any circumstance, probe bracket 61 are detachably connectable to medical firing equipment, and wherein, multiple probe type are also adapted to same support 61.Support 61 has rapidly With the ability disengaging different probes on card, more efficiently to carry out medical procedure.The interchangeability of probe is in specific heating Much bigger motility is provided in the use of equipment.If heating requirements are similar, then can be only by a probe mould Block is changed into another probe module and is executed different medical applications using identical instrument.

Probe 60 can comprise or support at least one sensor 66, and this sensor 66 can be with respect to probe 60 positioning Image device, such as imaging fiber device, and can by plug assembly be coupled to suitable display in case auxiliary make User points to target location by popping one's head in.Any such imaging sensor or visor all can be equipped with anti-smog device or antifoggant.It is derived from The heat of self limiting electrical heating elements 20 can be used with such anti-smog device or antifoggant collocation.Sensor 66 can also be nerve Detector.Such nerve detector is known, and is used in other probe shape medical instruments.They and imager Similar it is also possible to be suitably located near probe 60, or be even desirably integrated into and be used among heated probe itself Finer control is carried out to positioning.

Cable circuit connection 40 creates circuit between self limiting electrical heating elements 20 and power supply 30 and is connected.Can be electrically 11VAC, AC battery, DC battery, solaode, or itself is by the customization power module of arbitrarily aforementioned item energy supply.Example Power supply 30 (Figure 1A) generally includes the RF in order to transmit other power to equipment 10 and forms the reception letter from sensor 66 Number circuit.Power supply 30 is connected by cable 40 and removable plug 45.For Fig. 1 C, power supply is connected with cable circuit and wraps completely It is contained in insulating jacket 50.Therefore, medical firing equipment 10 has as described in Fig. 1 C " wireless mode " be not (that is, outer The Wiring connector in portion).

Medical firing equipment 10 can also include ON/80, and this ON/80 can be located on insulating jacket 50, Near the handss (Figure 1A-Fig. 1 C) of user in equipment work.The circuit that ON/turns on and off from power supply 30 connects 40, thus the power supply to self limiting heater 20 for the cut-out.

Medical firing equipment 10 can be used along with other armarium, other armarium described all if any ultrasound wave Equipment, monopolar electrosurgical surgical apparatuses, bipolar electrosurgical surgical apparatuses, attraction equipment, bloating plant, it is blown into equipment, microelectronics Chipset, fiber plant, radio-frequency apparatus, microwave equipment, infrared equipment, X-ray equipment, laser equipment, Light-Emitting Diode set Standby, resistance or wire-heated equipment or can be arranged on probe 60 or be arranged on the other standards doctor near probe 60 Treatment equipment.Electrosurgery be to biological tissue apply high frequency electric as in order to carry out to tissue cutting, to solidify, dry or electric Bright means.In electrosurgery program, tissue is heated by through its electric current therein.Its benefit includes carrying out essence Definitely cut and lose blood limited.Electrosurgery equipment is usually used in surgical procedures, helping prevent in hospital operating room or Losing blood in outpatient operation.

Target tissue can be touched by making the far-end (for example, sensor 66) of probe 60 whether in the skin of patient On surface, subcutaneous or deeper inside come to use according to the present invention build medical firing equipment 10.If target tissue is skin Skin, then can elect the maintenance temperature of equipment less than 45 DEG C (113 °F) as.Under such moderate temperature, from probe to skin Heat transfer can produce skin-tightening, skin surface is reinvented and collagen remodeling, for corium regeneration and cosmetic applications.This is acceptable Along with the mechanical ablation to skin surface cell.Or, it is possible to use higher temperature, to cut skin, meanwhile is burnt Bright any bleeding.

If target tissue is subcutaneus adipose tissue, can be by inserting the heat transfer of the ultrasound guided probe in skin come selectivity Injury is close in the adipose cell of probe end.If target tissue is nervous tissue, can be come using the heat transfer from probe The nerve that ablation is selected, such as nervi trigeminus (for example, for migraine treatment), provides to facial corrugator supercilii and proceruss The nervus facialiss of innervation or the rami temporales branch at angle nerve (angular nerve).This can help remove wrinkles on one's forehead.

Target tissue can be glandular tissue, as in the sweat gland of skin, to treat hyperhidrosis, or carrying out tonsil Entirely cut in art or tonsillotomy, target tissue is the tonsil in oral cavity.

Target tissue can be vascular tissue's (vein, tremulous pulse, blood capillary, blood), wherein can be by the heat transfer of probe To produce the local blood solidification to vascular tissue and to burn.Or, at a temperature of milder (nearly 37 DEG C of body temperature), hollow is visited Head can inject pre- hot fluid in target artery or vein, for example, be used for locally being administered.

Target tissue can be some misgrowths, polyp or tumor, such as among hole or oral cavity.Here, by probe Heat transfer this tissue can be melted.Example includes：See in Ba Leiteshi esophagitis (Barrett ' s esophagitis) Mucosa injury, or come from the tissue growth of nasal conchae hypertrophy, or the removing of polyp of colon or rectal polyp.

By applying heat for example to melt sensory nerve or to stimulate the flesh ached to selected nerve or muscular tissue Blood flow in meat, heated armarium is also used as a part for Pain management or therapeutic scheme.

Can be substituted currently used for similar using the armarium that the self limiting electrical heater element according to the present invention builds The equipment based on electric arc of purposes.Any medical applications requiring to carry out controlled heat transmission to selected target tissue all can adopt this Bright, and there is very high control and safety.The present invention can be used for medical treatment, dentistry and accepted veterinary practice.

Currently preferred material for self limiting electric heater is one or more NTC material and one or more ZTC The combination of material, it has similar to the resistance v. temperature response curve shown in Fig. 9 C.Suitable material includes being derived from The critesistor 3 of Cantherm, Montreal, Canada, MF51, MF52 and CWF, and various from General The material of Electric, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.

Reference picture 11- Figure 18, power supply 97 generates electric field between one group of at least two conductive segments (conductive segments) 225. Power supply 97 directly can generate electric field between conductive segments 225, or, can be field generator 100 energy supply indirectly, And field generator 100 transfers to generate electric field between conductive segments 225.Power supply 97 can be DC source or alternating current Source.In the case of DC source 97, may require that field generator 100 produces alternating current or alternation pole in target tissue 250 Property electric field.Example power 97 is dc-battery, this is because there are many standard-sized such batteries, their sizes compact but Can be the special field generator device energy supply that can form suitable electric field, thus causing desired precise cell to damage again.

Alternating current is preferred compared with unidirectional current, this is because in this case every ampere of alternating current can producing ratio straight Stream electricity is more warm.Apparently there is specific resonant frequency or peak frequency, by through particular type target tissue at this frequency Heat production caused by 250 alternating current is maximized.In this frequency, electric current passes through target tissue 250 with minimum resistance.Cause This, at the particular resonant frequency of specific target cell, produce in this cell identical or more heat need less power. Therefore, alternating current is preferably as which reducing the power requirement of equipment and thus to allow equipment to be small enough to hand-held.Nerve The resonant frequency of cell and its surrounding tissue is 460KHz and thus is preferred frequency.The usual here of electrosurgery equipment Frequency operates, this is because this frequency is seemingly permitted the resonant frequency of eurypalynous tissue, rather than only nervous tissue is humorous Vibration frequency.

Field generator 100 includes pulse width modulated power supply, and this pulse width modulated power supply is electrically connected to including resistor, electric capacity Device, diode and switch are in interior common circuit board component.Field generator 100 can also include transformator 175 (Figure 12), its In from described pulse width modulated power supply output signal be with described transformator primary be connected.Generally custom design electric field occurs Device 100 has the specific alternating polarity field of characteristic frequency and power to generate, specifically to expect precise cell according to producing Damage requirement and function of bringing into normal play together with the particular probe/extension 200 of equipment 91.Example electric generator 100 makes Produce the output being suitable for neurocyte with three pins probes 200, wherein generator is also designed to very little size.Electric field Generator 100 includes pulse width modulated power supply and the circuit board assemblies being assembled on custom circuit plate, and described custom circuit plate has Generally long and narrow shape, such as rectangle, its can put into as Figure 14-Figure 16 described have typical pen shape and The inside the shell of size.Or, field generator 100 can comprise many circuit boards, and these circuit boards are electrically connected by loose cable Pick up to put into various inside the shells of different shapes.Field generator 100 includes toroidal transformer 175, this annular transformation Device 175 is electrically connected to the far-end of described custom circuit plate, and this far-end is in the annular hole of transformator 175, from transformation The secondary voltage of device 175 and electric current here pass through target tissue 250.

Mode PWM power supply includes at least 6 electrical connections：101 and negative power supply connection 103 are connected by cathode power supply 2 power inputs of composition connect；2 signal outputs connect 105 and 107；And two fine setting inputs connect 109 and 111.Defeated Go out signal 105 and 107 in the electric field creating the rapid alternation of polarity in the target tissue between conductive segments 225, so that in target Generate in tissue or induct alternating current.Electric current is generated or inducts is because that tissue contains water and other electroconductive molecules thus permitting Permitted to produce electric current in response to electric field.Output signal 105 and 107 is before electrically connecting with conductive segments 225 through described customization Circuit board and obtain electric treatment.The frequency of the alternating polarity of electric field is matched with the frequency of the alternating current thus created to a great extent Rate.Or, output 105 and 107 can be electrically connected to the primary input on transformator 175, the wherein secondary output of transformator 175 It is 105a and 107a.Transformator 175 can be used for helping the structural resonant frequency of stable target, filters opening from generator 100 Close noise, and extend and set by operation generator 100 under the frequency highly efficient in the 460KHz resonance than nervous tissue Standby 91 battery life.Additionally, as discussed below, can by from 105,105a, 107, the signal through electric treatment of 107a returns Deliver to control unit 125, signal here is further processed and is returned to input 109 He on field generator 100 111.

Field generator 100 is preferably able to send from one or more signal outputs 105 or 107 are to target tissue 250 One or more DC pulse, so that detection target nerve and the accurate position providing high-frequency ac armarium before heat production Put.Before surgeon transmits the AC field of heating target tissue 250, surgeon can use one or more direct current arteries and veins Bring and be accurately positioned target neurocyte or its ingredient.DC pulse can be various amplitudes and waveform, and alternatively, The pulse of various shapes can be simultaneously emitted by from field generator 100.By at least two conductive segments are positioned at target cell Region on or navigate in the region of target cell, the one or more impulse stimulations nerves sending from conductive segments are driven Muscle, thus leading to described muscle twitchess or moving in some way.Therefore, by mobile probe 200 and conductive segments 225, before transmission removes the treatment electric current that target nerve carries out nerve, this nerve can be positioned.Scan for, until Witness muscle twitchess or correctly move when, when the time comes surgeon know located correct neurocyte or its Ingredient, and at least two conductive segments have been exactly on accurate target tissue 250.By height is detected and confirmed Frequency exchanges the exact position of electricity transmission and knows that at least two conductive segments have been properly oriented, can accurately position very much height Frequency exchange armarium 91, to realize the ablation to nervous tissue.Now, surgeon can then start AC field with The accurate heating to target tissue, and any other tissue is not heated.

Field generator 100 is preferably small but excellent micro-, so that it easily can be hold by one hand by average adult.Example As, it is possible to use standard 9V battery comes for example electric generator 100 energy supply, to realize desired cell injury.

Alternatively, high-frequency ac armarium 91 can have two probes or needle-like protuberance 200, and by generator 100 electric fields being generated can would is that single-phase.Depict the block diagram of this pattern in fig. 11.One probe or needle-like are dashed forward Go out the conductive segments 225 that portion 200 can include electrically connecting with the contact 107 on field generator 100, and another probe or Needle-like protuberance 200 can include another segmentation 225 electrically connecting with the contact 105 on field generator 100.Or, high frequency Exchange armarium 91 can have a probe or needle-like protuberance 200, and can be single-phase by 100 electric fields being generated 's.The block diagram of this operator scheme is depicted in Figure 11 A.Single probe or needle-like protuberance 200 can include whole two Segmentation 225.In other embodiments, equipment 91 can have more protuberances 200, and therefore field generator 100 will need The signal output at least with equal number is so that using this many protuberance, described signal output is each electrically connected to a spy Head or needle-like protuberance 200.For example, each protuberance can send in many phase signals produced by generator One of individual signal or many common signals signal, wherein equipment 91 can have many probes or needle-like protuberance 200, with Just create complicated electric field combination, thus helping produce very specifically desired precise cell damage.Or, equipment 91 Can have many probes or needle-like protuberance 200, and only two signal outputs 105 and 107, wherein 105 and 107 signals are to hand over Perhaps connect to this many protuberance along the row of protuberance 200 or arc for mode.Come by this way alternately Only two signals, can create macrolesion area only by single-phase alternating electric field along described row or arc, this is because with this Mode creates electric current between each protuberance 200.

Exemplary high frequency exchanges three needle-like protuberances that armarium 10 has arrangement in upright arrangement.See Figure 15 and Figure 16.In The protuberance 200 of centre is electrically connected to field generator 100 by common signal lead 107a.The protuberance in two outsides passes through Monophasic pulses lead 105a and parallel connection is electrically connected to field generator 100.Depict the equipment of Figure 15 and Figure 16 in fig. 12 Block diagram.In all of arrangement and pattern, phase signal passed through self limiting conductive material electrical component before entering target tissue 150.

At least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200 can be removably attachable to the circuit of high-frequency ac armarium 91 Other parts with structure.Furthermore, it is possible to existence range is extensive, many dissimilar, size, shape, material etc. removable Except at least one needle-like protuberance 98,200 (Figure 14-Figure 16) of attachment, it is removably attachable to high-frequency ac armarium Remainder.Therefore, the present invention includes a series of tip 98 of removable attachments, and wherein each tip 98 includes：Protuberance 200 at least one probe and be located at least two conductive segments 225 thereon, wherein, they are being attached to armarium Each it was electrically connected to the remainder of equipment according to the circuit diagram in Figure 11-Figure 12 when upper.Probe is adapted for being penetrated into patient Skin surface under, with close to and/or contact skin under nerve or other target structures, and thus to this class formation transmission Heat, RF or other energy.

A kind of such removable attachment most advanced and sophisticated 98 ' can be another nerve finder, have on its distal end two little Conductive electrode or liner 99.Two little liners are used for making the electrical surface contact of target tissue to field generator 100.Therefore, it can Finding nerve first by " neural finder " most advanced and sophisticated 98 ', then once positioning, just single treatment most advanced and sophisticated 98 being attached to Equipment 91 is to heat to nerve.

Removable attachment tip 98 is generally generally tapered or cup-shaped, has opening in the wide end of cone, and The narrow end of cone is flat, to form on the whole cup-shaped, wherein at least one needle-like protuberance 200 is attached to cone Body narrow end or the outer surface at cup bottom.The far-end removing most advanced and sophisticated 98 high-frequency ac armarium 91 can also generally have cone Shape or cup-shaped, wherein equipment vertebral body is slightly less than tip taper.Therefore, most advanced and sophisticated 98 concave cone partly can slide to equipment vertebral body then Convex cone partly go up, wherein most advanced and sophisticated 98 are closely installed on equipment vertebral body.Optionally, in addition there may be retention mechanism, all Such as clasp device, press buckle device, locking device or similar securing member, so that by most advanced and sophisticated 98 holdings in the way of very firm On equipment vertebral body, so that surgeon can carry out surgical operation.Described retention mechanism also will have release device, thus Removable attachment most advanced and sophisticated 98 can be removed.Therefore, clasp device, described device can be discharged by buckle device, locking device etc. To remove most advanced and sophisticated 98., tip taper can have the property of flexibility taking by buckle device as a example, to allow finger extruding to lead to most advanced and sophisticated cone The deformation of body, thus discharge the one or more snap-fastener points between tip taper and equipment cone.When most advanced and sophisticated 98 on equipment 91 When snap-fastener puts in place, there is electricity between at least two conductive segments 225 and generator signal 105 or 105a and 107 or 107a Connect.Removable attachment tip 98 can aseptically be supplied, and be then discarded after a procedure.

Connecting 109 or 111 by field generator 100 (Figure 12) using fine setting input provides the pulsewidth within about 5% Modulation operations frequency.Fine setting input connects 109 and 111 and is electrically connected to control module 125, and this control module 125 is supplied by battery 97 And field generator 100 can be electrically connected to.Control module 125 includes one or more trimmer resistors or has similar work( The electronic building brick of energy, they are electrically connected to frequency modulation(PFM) controlling switch 127, and this controlling switch 127 is putting in control unit 125 Bit switch, for manual Regulate signal 105 frequency,.

Control module 125 also can be configured to signal 105 be sampled and carries out electric treatment with true to it Determine whether frequency is optimal, to automatically regulate and to stablize by the frequency of 100 signals being generated.From 105 signal and electricity Stream, by electric filter, process and analysis, produces the signal input in order to adjust fine setting input 109 or 111.Therefore, control module 125 From signal output 105 to the feedback circuit of fine setting input 109, this leads to the automatic fine tuning to output and stablizes for formation.More than It may be necessary to create feedback circuit for each output phase place, so as to all phase places in the case of one output phase signal Frequency automatically adjust and stablize.Control unit 125 alternatively also determines that whether the electric current through target tissue is higher than certain Maximum preset limit, and described electric current exceed this limit when close its electric field generate.This is current cut-off setting 129, its Chinese and foreign department doctor or technician can arrange maximum current level, and equipment 10 is closed its electric field when higher than this level and generated.

Carry out surgical operation using at least two electricity output phase signals 105 and common signal 107.Output Can be filtered by preferred circuit board component, be converted and otherwise by electric treatment, to produce desired precise cell Damage.Phase signal 105 arrives at target tissue 250 through self limiting conductive material electrical component 150.It passes through target tissue 250 then, And return to field generator 100 through common signal 107.

Self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 regulates and controls the electric current through target tissue 250.As above for first embodiment Described, self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 electrically has the function similar to critesistor, thermoelectricity occasionally switch.

It is that under the preferable case switching, 150 will be complete for the alternating current in target tissue in self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 Closing one of short duration time until target tissue is sufficiently cool, thus avoiding unnecessary cell damage, then switching 150 meetings It is again switched on alternating current in target tissue, thus heating to it one of short duration time again, is only heated to turning off again, repeat This process.This process is substantially per second to be repeated many times over, thus producing the temperature of generally steady statue in target tissue.

In the case that self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 shows and must be similar to critesistor or thermocouple, 150 temperature Change does not cause the/logical switching of breaking suddenly of alternating current in target tissue, but produces gradually heat increasing as described below and add deduct Few, to control the temperature of target tissue and surrounding tissue.Critesistor has alternating current fluctuation the gentlest.

Self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 is substantially uniform by the different materials including base material and conductor alloy Admixture forms.Self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 has the specific combination of substrate and alloy, and this combination allows self limiting The resistance of conductive material electrical component becomes with its temperature.When electric current is through self limiting conductive material electrical component 150, as exchange The electronics occurring in self limiting conductive material electrical component 150, ion or other band electrochondrias that electricity passes through target tissue 250 and causes The result of son collision, produces heat in 150.Therefore, through target tissue 250 increase electric current self limiting conductive material electricity group The heat production of increase is produced in part 150.This heat leads to the structure change in the molecule of the homogeneous blend of material, and this transfers Lead to the change of the electrical conductivity of self limiting conductive material electrical component.Taking some self limiting conductive materials or critesistor as a example, heat Lead to substrate expansion, and this makes to be suspended in conductive dopant therein and is separated, thus reducing and finally cutting off therethrough Electric current.In other self limiting conductive materials or critesistor, temperature change leads to the phase transformation of base material or dopant material, and this leads Cause the structure change of molecular level, thus producing from electric conductivity to dielectric transition effects, or vice versa.

Anyway it is necessary to the unusual especially optimal self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 of attentional selection/design, with Just produce optimal mathematical characteristic between temperature and resistance, thus producing optimal surgical operation performance, i.e. cause to expect Precise cell damage required temperature range.Relation between the temperature of self limiting conductive material electrical component and electrical conductivity is usual It is nonlinear, therefore we describe critesistor attribute using logarithmic scale.Electrical conductivity is generally come with the inverse of resistivity Metering.

In a preferred embodiment, self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 is made up of ptc material.Fig. 7 is suitable for this Improving eyesight ptc heater material resistivity-temperature profile.Fitness for typical operation requires resistivity with temperature It is gradually increased, as shown in the middle part positive slope feature of curve chart.Additionally, T in the graph₀There is flex point in place.When temperature rises to T₀ On when, resistivity with temperature with decrescence speed increase.Therefore, rise to T with temperature₀On, through the electric current of target tissue There is the gentle reduction of decrescence speed.When temperature is down to T₀Under when, resistivity with temperature with decrescence speed reduce.Therefore, It is down to T with temperature₀Under, through the gentle increase of the electric current presence decrescence speed of target tissue.With reference to Fig. 7, from T₀To T_H, electricity Resistance rate is gradually increased, thus reducing the heat production in target tissue.Similarly, from T₀To T_L, resistivity is gradually reduced, thus increasing target Heat production in tissue.In T₀There is mathematically stable temperature spot in place, it is also known as flex point.There is the material of this flex point relation It is preferred, to provide in T₀The self limiting conductive material electrical component of the optimum stability in place, thus produce in target area Stable alternating current.

The temperature of self limiting conductive material electrical component 150 determines the electric current through target area.Therefore, high-frequency ac medical treatment The key Design criterion of equipment 91 is to determine needs to produce desired precise cell damage for which type of minimum current, then It is which type of self limiting conductive material electrical component provides this magnitude of current at its mathematics balance, thus for high-frequency ac medical treatment The application of equipment determines optimal self limiting conductive material electrical component.

Different precise cell damages program and may require different cell heating or current practice scope.For example, Different programs may need needle-like protuberance 200 to have the probe of different shape and size, thus changing current requirements, thus The self limiting conductive material electrical component changing high-frequency ac armarium 91 requires.Different target tissues may require different electricity Flow or heat to carry out this operation.Therefore, some programs may require with different target temperature T₀And there is different operating model Enclose T_HTo T_LDifferent self limiting conductive material electrical components.These criterions can be by carefully selecting for high-frequency ac armarium 91 Select PTC, NTC or ZTC thermistor material and adjusted.In addition it is possible to use various alloys and various concentration of dopant To change characteristic, to produce different resistance temperature curve figures.Can being further combined using PTC, NTC and ZTC material To produce different resistance temperature curve figures.

Fig. 9 A comprises the resistance temperature relation of NTC material.This arrangement can be used for producing as by temperature T₀Determined by Big operation electric current, the electric current on here has sharp cut-off.Fig. 9 B comprises the resistance temperature relation of ZTC material.This arrangement can For in whole target area in whole temperature range T_HTo T_LProduce the constant current of certain level.Fig. 9 C comprises NTC/ZTC material The resistance temperature relation of material.This arrangement can be used for producing and T_HTo T_LThe related wide operation electric current scope of scope, have and be in The constant current of certain level, but in temperature T_LPlace has sharp cut-off.Fig. 9 D comprises the resistance temperature relation of PTC/ZTC material. This arrangement can be used for producing and T_HTo T_LThe related wide operation electric current scope of scope, there is the constant electricity being in certain level Stream, but in temperature T_LPlace's electric current is increased dramatically, thus stoping target tissue from falling to certain temperature.

PTC, NTC and ZTC material can be by the crystallization being added with some conduction " doping " materials or semi-crystalline polymer base material Make.For polymer matrix critesistor, transition temperature comes from fusing or the solidification of polymer molecule.Just crystallization or half hitch For crystalline polymer, molecular structure is piled up more closely in solid phase, and piles up less tight in amorphous phase or elastomer phase. Polymer molecule is usually dielectric it is therefore necessary to add conductive dopant so that materials conductive.In T₀Under temperature, Most polymers molecule is in solid phase, piles up closely, is thus in its most state of electric conductivity or level.In T₀On Temperature, most polymers molecule is in amorphous phase or elastomer phase, piles up loose, is thus in it and least has the shape of electric conductivity State or level.For the identical selection of matrix polymer, transition temperature T₀The general polymer with selected matrix polymer softens Point is consistent.

Dopant material is added to base material so that it is conductive, and this allows this material to show must to be similar to heating element heater.Also add Plus alloy is to slow down resistance variations or to widen curve chart discussed above.Alloy is conductive material, such as white carbon black, gold Belong to oxide, semi-conducting material, its admixture etc., or there is electric conductivity and short grained other materials can be made.Logical Cross the type changing alloy and concentration and draw the ratio resistance temperature relation of PTC, NTC and ZTC material.Therefore, polymer matrix In compositionss, the low concentration of conductive particle or density are the gradually resistance variations obtaining desired self limiting heating element A kind of mode.In general, the doped level higher than 50% produces switching mode material, the doped level of 15-40% produces Thermistor material, and 10% doped level produces electromagnetic interference and/or static discharge.Conductive dopant can also be changed Porosity, surface area, particle size and oxygen content to be producing each attribute.More than one type can also be added to base material Alloy.Substrate molecule or particles of doped material can actually result in the heating in critesistor.Therefore, alloy can produce Raw electron transfer or vibration heating or both generations simultaneously.All of these factors taken together and various carbon black loading levels and other because Element together leads to combine close to an unbounded quantity of between the type of alloy and amount and type of substrate, thus produce close to An unbounded quantity of ratio resistance temperature relation.

PTC, NTC and ZTC material can also be made up of the ceramic material or ceramic based material that are added with conductive dopant.Pottery Ceramic material can be electric conductivity or dielectric according to phase or structure.Ceramic material designing can be become in specified temp T₀There is the phase transformation from solid to elastomer or from elastomer to solid in place.Generally, ceramic based material is Barium metatitanate. and/or phase The bivalence titanate closing and zirconates.Typical alloy includes lead, strontium, rare earth metal, antimony, bismuth etc..Add alloy to increase Unconventional scope (anomaly range) that is big or reducing base material, or the slope adjusting resistivity temperature relation further.Tool The various ceramic thermal resistance heaters having different temperature and resistance rate relations are commercially available.Ceramic thermal resistance heats Device material maker can also make great efforts to set about carrying out special exploration project, to provide special desired characteristic.

In some patterns, add traditional switches to one or more tissue heater circuits, or by traditional thermoelectricity Occasionally it is placed near conductive segments 225, or carry out both, so that in electric field generation mode or surgical operation pattern simultaneously Further enhance the temperature control to target tissue 250 or add safe current cut-off control of extra level etc..

High-frequency ac armarium 91 (Figure 13) generally includes user interface 92, this user interface 92 include main power source lead to/ Disconnect pass 93, electric field ON/94, main power source display lamp 95 and electric field display lamp 96.User interface 92 is electrically connected to control Module 125 (Figure 12), thus sending and receiving signal from it, and is electrically connected by control module 125 and indirectly by battery 97 energy supplies.Electric power is bonded to field generator and inputs and be bonded to control module 125 by main power switch 93.When switch 93 connects When logical, power supply indicator 95 is lighted.When generating electric field, surgical operation can be carried out, this is controlled by electric field ON/94. When switch 94 is activated, electric field engages between at least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200.Electric field display lamp 96 is in electric field ON/94 is lighted when engaging.

The stand-alone device as described above, high-frequency ac armarium 91 preferably hand-held battery is powered.In order to assist in This, all component is assembled on a little circuit board.In this configuration, switch 93 and 94 can be located at high-frequency ac medical treatment and sets Standby 91 outside, and it is in the position that next-door neighbour holds the surgical forefinger of high-frequency ac armarium 91.Lamp 95 He Lamp 96 can also be located at the outside of high-frequency ac armarium 91.Frequency modulation(PFM) setting 111 and cut-off setting (Figure 12) can positions In the inside of equipment 91, this is because they are generally directed to specific operation and are set differently, and need not be during operation It is adjusted.

In order to be formed for surgeon's the most comfortable and the most rational apparatus, the shape of high-frequency ac armarium 91 is preferred Ground is as pen.The fine Property requirements producing desired precise cell damage are fine similar to write with very little font Hand moves.Therefore, can also be cosily using high-frequency ac armarium 91 to the surgeon comfortable with a writing feel Damage to produce desired precise cell.

At least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200 generally have the external diameter of 0.5 to 0.7 millimeter of diameter and 5 millimeters and with On length, and there is tissue penetration far-end.The surface of at least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200 is non-conducting surfaces, because This does not send electric field in addition to the particular fragments 225 in probe or needle-like protuberance 200.Just can be from only at segmentation 225 It sends electric field.

As it was previously stated, needing at least two conductive segments 225 to generate electric current in target tissue.Set in high-frequency ac medical treatment In standby 91 two embodiments, at least two conductive segments 225 pop one's head in all on one or needle-like protuberance 200 on, or There is segmentation 225 on each of two needle-like protuberances 200 of person.Conductive segments 225 can have makes segmentation 225 have conduction The coating of property or coating, or can not have coating or coating.For example, probe can be made from a material that be electrically non-conductive, wherein by One or more conductive coatings thereon form conductive segments.Probe can be made of an electrically conducting material, and removes conductive point in its surface Section 225 outside there is non-conductive coating everywhere.Can be produced using any assembling of conductive material and non-conducting material There is the probe/probe of effective conductive segments 225.Segmentation 225 is electrically connected to signal 105 or 107.Visit when segmentation 225 is located at When on the far-end of head or needle-like protuberance 200, only under the surface of tissue, produce heat, thus being easier the change group in difference Desired precise cell is led to damage in the case of knitting surface.Segmentation 225 is preferably located in the far-end of needle-like protuberance 200, and And length is of about 1-4 millimeter.

Method using described high-frequency ac armarium 91 includes：Pick up described high-frequency ac armarium 91；Open Described high-frequency ac armarium；At least one probe described or needle-like protuberance 200 is made to touch the surface of target tissue 250；Will Described at least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200 be inserted under the surface of target tissue 250, or will described at least one visit Head or needle-like protuberance 200 are inserted in body cavity 250；For the energy supply of described field generator 100 thus inducting in target tissue 250 Or generation alternating current；Disconnect field generator 100；Remove at least one probe described from described target tissue 250 or needle-like projects Portion 200；And repeat aforesaid step when necessary to lead to desired specific precise cell to damage.Alternatively, hand in transmission Can be using low-power dc electric current positioning nerve interested before stream electricity.

Target tissue 250 can be touched by making at least one probe or needle-like protuberance 200 either patient's Skin surface, subcutaneous or deeper inside come to use according to the present invention build high-frequency ac armarium.If target tissue Skin or subcutaneous tissue, then can select certain types of probe and temperature to realize skin-tightening, surface reinvent or Collagen remodeling.The maintenance temperature of equipment can be elected as no more than 41 DEG C (106 °F).Under such moderate temperature, 200 is permissible Produce skin-tightening, skin surface is reinvented and collagen remodeling, for corium regeneration and cosmetic applications.This is further accompanied by skin The mechanical ablation of skin superficial cell.Or, it is possible to use higher temperature cutting skin, meanwhile burn any go out Blood.

If target tissue is subcutaneus adipose tissue, at least one probe 200 must have and is percutaneously inserted to skin Tissue penetration structure, causes optionally to injure with the adipose cell to the end near 200.

Target tissue can be any tissue illustrating previously with respect to first embodiment.Second embodiment is particularly suitable for Nerve is positioned and is processed.

Target tissue can be internal any tract, the such as heart, lung, brain, eye, kidney, liver, ovary, thyroid, wing Guang, uterus, stomach, intestinal, vermiform appendix, gallbladder etc..

Claims

1. a kind of medical treatment firing equipment, including：

Hand-held housing；

The power supply of described inside the shell；

The heat conduction extending out from the end of described shell is popped one's head in, and described probe has distal tissue contact end；And

Temperature varying coefficient element, it forms microheater, this microheater temperature from 20 DEG C to 80 DEG C in response to scope Degree changes and has the resistance variations from 2 orders of magnitude to 4 orders of magnitude for the scope, and this temperature varying coefficient element is contained in described Within hand-held housing；

Wherein said heat conduction probe is coupled to described temperature varying coefficient element, so that by heat from described temperature varying coefficient unit Part conducts to described distal tissue contact end；And

Wherein said temperature varying coefficient element has the physical form of at least one coil being wound on around core electricity partition, its Described in the effect of core electricity partition be to electrically insulate some regions of described temperature varying coefficient element simultaneously by described temperature Other regions of variation coefficient element are electrically connected to described power supply, to form the electric current of the length through at least one coil described Path.

2. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said temperature varying coefficient element includes positive temperature coefficient Element, negative temperature coefficient unit or zero-temperature coefficient element, its electrical response changes in the rising of temperature, and it includes：

Thermistor heater material, it comprises：There is the polymeric substrate of 5% to 40% conductiving doping material；Have 5% Ceramic base material to 40% conductiving doping material；Or the ceramic material of non-doped material, wherein, described critesistor heating Equipment material is characterised by the resistance changing with temperature, and wherein said change transfers to lead to the change of the heat production of described element.

3. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said power supply is dc-battery.

4. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said shell includes insulating jacket.

5. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe includes one or more needle probes.

6. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe includes at least one hollow pipe, in this Blank pipe is adapted for transferable material or removes material from target tissue.

7. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe has circle, ellipse or rectangle Shape of cross section.

8. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe has square or oblong horizontal stroke Cross sectional shape.

9. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe has round or prominent far-end.

10. medical treatment firing equipment according to claim 1, wherein said heat conduction probe has spin, point or blunt nosed Far-end.

A kind of 11. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments, including：

Hand-held housing；

The power supply of described inside the shell；

Field generator, it draws electric current from described power supply and generates radio-frequency current；

At least one tissue probe；

At least two conductive segments on one or more tissue probes；And

Temperature varying coefficient element, it has scope from 2 orders of magnitude in response to the temperature change from 20 DEG C to 80 DEG C for the scope To the resistance variations of 4 orders of magnitude, this temperature varying coefficient element is contained within described hand-held housing；

Wherein said temperature varying coefficient element is series between described field generator and described at least two conductive segments；And And

12. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, wherein said temperature varying coefficient element includes subzero temperature Degree coefficient element, zero-temperature coefficient element or positive temperature coefficient element, this negative temperature coefficient unit, zero-temperature coefficient element or just Temperature coefficient element electrical response changes in the rising of temperature, and this negative temperature coefficient unit, zero-temperature coefficient element or Positive temperature coefficient element includes：

Thermistor heater material, it comprises：There is the polymeric substrate of 5% to 40% conductiving doping material；Have 5% Ceramic base material to 40% conductiving doping material；Or the ceramic material of non-doped material, wherein, described critesistor heating Equipment material is characterised by the resistance changing with temperature, and wherein said change transfers to lead to the product of described positive temperature coefficient element The change of heat.

13. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, wherein said power supply is dc-battery.

14. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, wherein said shell includes insulating jacket.

15. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, it has two tissue probes and two conductive segments, Wherein each probe has the conductive segments being located at thereon.

16. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, it has three tissue probes and three conductive segments, Wherein each probe has the conductive segments being located at thereon.

17. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, at least one tissue wherein said is popped one's head in and is located at it On at least two conductive segments be removably attached to described shell.

18. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, including at least two interchangeable tissue probe assemblings Part.

19. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 18, visit including having one or more tissue penetration tissues The first tissue of head is popped one's head in assembly and is had the minor microstructure probe assembly of one or more surfaces joint tissue probe.

20. high frequency medical treatment firing equipments according to claim 11, wherein said field generator is adapted for selectivity Ground produces the unidirectional current that nerve can be stimulated and positioned, and produces high frequency electric so that unidirectional current described in place's reason is determined The nerve of position.