applicator for insertion into a body opening for medical purposes

Claim 1

An applicator for insertion into a body opening for hyperthermic treatment of tumours which applicator includes a probe having an elongated jacket (2) and a sleeve (6) received on the distal end of said jacket (2) to be inserted into the body in the vicinity of a tumour to be treated, the probe comprising an integrally formed housing having cavities wherein are disposed a forward heating portion containing a radio emitting antenna (4) producing an overall directional radiation pattern and a conduit system (8,28) for the passage of a cooling fluid adjacent the outer surface thereof for cooling of the tissue lying adjacent the probe and a rearward portion being arranged to be of significantly less cross sectional area than the forward portion, the probe also including temperature sensing means for indicating the temperature at the surface of the probe and automatic temperature control means for control operation of the automatic response thereto and to terminate operation of the antenna in response of overheating of the adjacent tissue, the sleeve (6) being partly inflatable by a fluid to press the opposite side of the jacket (2) and sleeve (6) facing away from its inflatable part (7) laterally against the tissue of the body opening, thereby to fix the position of the jacket (2) within the body opening and to conform the pressed body tissue to the shape of said opposite side of the jacket (2) and sleeve (6) characterized in that said flexible sleeve (6) includes a balloon (7) integrally formed with and joined to the flexible sleeve (6) at one side of the sleeve and jacket, said balloon occupying only the distal end of said flexible sleeve (6) and said balloon (7) is of generally conical configuration when inflated having a narrow tip (7a) at one end where joined to said sleeve and a wide base (7b) at the opposite end for engagement with the body tissue at said opposite side of the jacket (2), said jacket (2) including an inner relatively core (20), a sleeve (22) and a tip (24), said inner core being formed for approximately one-half its circumference with ribs (20a) defining cooling ducts (28) and for the other half of its circumference, the outer face of sleeve (22) is lined with a copper reflector layer (52) extending substantially along the complete length of the sleeve, at the side of the jacket carrying the inflatable balloon (7).