Device for treatment of type-2 diabetes

Abstract

This device for treatment of type-2 diabetes comprises: two plate-shaped electrodes (301, 601); a through hole (601a) formed in at least one of the two plate-shaped electrodes in the thickness direction; and a high-frequency power supply (400) that supplies high-frequency power to the two plate-shaped electrodes. Preferably, the through hole, which has a cylindrical shape, is provided symmetrically with respect to the center of the plate-shaped electrode. In addition, preferably, the diameter of the through hole is 1-10% of the diameter of the plate-shaped electrode in which the through hole is formed.

Description

Type 2 diabetes treatment device

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for treating type 2 diabetes.

[0002] When a person eats, sugar is absorbed into the blood, causing the blood sugar concentration (blood glucose level) to rise. When blood glucose levels rise, a hormone called insulin is secreted from the pancreas. The insulin secreted from the pancreas is transported throughout the body along with the blood, and the blood sugar is converted into an energy source called glycogen in the liver and muscles or stored as fat, lowering blood glucose levels. When diabetes develops, insulin secretion slows, the amount of insulin secreted decreases, or the insulin's action weakens, making it difficult to lower blood glucose levels. If blood glucose levels remain high for a long period of time, damage to blood vessels throughout the body can occur, and if the condition worsens, complications that significantly reduce quality of life (QOL) such as blindness, kidney failure, and leg amputation, as well as diseases such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction can occur.

[0003] There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the beta cells in the pancreas are damaged, resulting in little or no insulin production. Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas produces insulin but in insufficient amounts, or the insulin produced does not function properly. Type 2 diabetes is also known as a lifestyle-related disease because it is caused by obesity, lack of exercise, and poor diet.

[0004] It is estimated that approximately 10 million people in Japan suffer from diabetes, with the majority of these suffering from type 2 diabetes, also known as a lifestyle-related disease. Type 2 diabetes patients are first given lifestyle guidance to correct poor eating and exercise habits. If lifestyle improvements do not sufficiently lower blood sugar levels, drug therapy using blood sugar-lowering medications is used. Type 2 diabetes patients who do not achieve sufficient results with drug therapy, or type 2 diabetes patients who are pregnant and cannot take blood sugar-lowering medications due to effects on the fetus, are treated with insulin therapy, which artificially supplements insulin.

[0005] While drug therapy lowers blood sugar levels by administering drugs, insulin therapy is a symptomatic treatment that artificially supplements insulin to lower blood sugar levels, and does not improve the insulin secretion function of the pancreas. Therefore, there is a need for technology that can treat the pancreas, which is the cause of diabetes.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes a hepatitis C treatment device equipped with a pair of disk-shaped electrodes and a high-frequency power source that supplies high-frequency power to the pair of electrodes. In this device, a pair of electrodes is placed on the surface of the patient's body so as to sandwich the affected liver, and the liver is heated by supplying high-frequency power to the pair of electrodes. Patent Document 1 describes that heating the liver in this manner has the effect of treating hepatitis C.

[0007] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-131033

[0008] In the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it is expected that warming the pancreas will improve insulin secretion. However, while Patent Document 1 states that warming treatment was effective for some hepatitis C patients, it also states that treatment was ineffective for some patients, and it is believed that this was due to insufficient heating of the affected area. Therefore, in order to use such a device in the treatment of type 2 diabetes patients, it is necessary to more reliably heat the affected area.

[0009] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a type 2 diabetes treatment device that can reliably heat the affected area and activate insulin secretion.

[0010] The type 2 diabetes treatment device of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, is characterized by comprising two plate electrodes, a through hole formed in the thickness direction of at least one of the two plate electrodes, and a high-frequency power source that supplies high-frequency power to the two plate electrodes.

[0011] When using the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the present invention, two plate electrodes are placed on the patient's body surface so as to sandwich the affected area (e.g., the patient's pancreas or liver), and high-frequency power is applied to these plate electrodes. At least one of these two plate electrodes has through-holes formed in the thickness direction. By heating the patient's pancreas, it is possible to directly act on the pancreas and activate insulin secretion. Furthermore, by heating the patient's liver, it is possible to improve (supplement) blood flow to the pancreas and activate insulin secretion from the pancreas.

[0012] When two plate-shaped electrodes are placed on the body surface, sandwiching the affected area, and high-frequency power is supplied to them, an electric field is formed, which causes high-frequency displacement currents (also called electric flux currents) to flow inside the dielectric human body. In a hepatitis C treatment device that supplies high-frequency power to two flat, opposing plate-shaped electrodes, as described in Patent Document 1, the displacement current generated at the center of the disk-shaped electrodes flows linearly from one electrode to the other, while the displacement current generated at the periphery of the electrodes flows from one electrode to the other, expanding outward from the space between the two electrodes. Therefore, the displacement current becomes weaker with increasing distance from the center of the electrode pair, which is thought to make it difficult to heat the affected area. Such currents, which do not involve electron flow, are called displacement currents and are distinguished from conductive currents, which involve electron flow. Furthermore, because displacement currents do not involve electron flow, they do not create the resistance that occurs when conductive currents flow.

[0013] In the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the present invention, a through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of at least one of the two plate-shaped electrodes. Forming a through-hole in the thickness direction of the plate-shaped electrodes makes it easier for displacement current to concentrate near the through-hole. This prevents the displacement current generated at the periphery of the electrode from bulging outward from the space between the two plate-shaped electrodes, ensuring that the affected area is heated and insulin secretion is activated.

[0014] By using the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably heat the affected area and activate insulin secretion.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entire embodiment of a type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing the internal configuration of a type 2 diabetes treatment device of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is another view showing the internal configuration of a type 2 diabetes treatment device of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is yet another view showing the internal configuration of a type 2 diabetes treatment device of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a view showing the configuration of an upper electrode in this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view explaining the configuration of a control unit 100, etc. in this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view explaining a heating operation in this embodiment. An example of an electrode having a plurality of through-holes formed therein.

[0016] An embodiment of a type 2 diabetes treatment apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0017] <Regarding the Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Apparatus> Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the type 2 diabetes treatment apparatus of this embodiment. The type 2 diabetes treatment apparatus of this embodiment (hereinafter also simply referred to as "apparatus") basically comprises a control unit 100, a therapeutic bed main body 200, and an upper electrode unit 600. The therapeutic bed main body 200 is provided with a lower electrode 301.

[0018] The control unit 100 has a tabletop console and is equipped with an operation unit 101 placed on a central shelf, a display unit 102 provided above the operation unit 101, and an output unit 103 such as a printer. A control circuit is housed inside the housing of the control unit 100. The operation unit 101 is used to perform various input operations required to operate the type 2 diabetes treatment device, and is equipped with, for example, a keyboard. The display unit 102 displays information about the patient and monitors the operating status of the device. The output unit 103 outputs data about the patient, information about the device, etc.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a view of the front side (B-B side) of the paper in Fig. 1 from a cross section along the longitudinal direction that passes through the center of the therapeutic bed main body 200. Fig. 3 is a view of the back side (A-A side) of the paper in Fig. 1 from the same cross section. Fig. 4 is a cross section along the lateral direction that passes through the center of the therapeutic bed main body 200.

[0020] The treatment bed body 200 comprises a housing 210 with an open top and a table 220 that covers the opening. The table 220 is large enough for a patient to lie down on. The housing 210 contains a high-frequency generator and other components.

[0021] Wheels 211 for moving the therapeutic bed main body 200 are attached to the four corners of the bottom surface of the housing 210. Furthermore, fixing members 212 for fixing the position of the therapeutic bed main body 200 are arranged at four locations on the bottom surface of the housing 210. The four fixing members 212 are preferably provided at four locations that are evenly spaced in a plan view (for example, at positions symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal central axis and the lateral central axis of the therapeutic bed main body 200, or at positions equidistant from the center of the therapeutic bed main body 200). The fixing members 212 may be, for example, a columnar member having a thread formed on its circumferential surface and a ground contact member having a flat lower surface and provided at the lower end of the columnar member, and the threads on the circumferential surface of the columnar member are threadedly engaged with a through-hole provided on the bottom surface of the housing 210 and having a thread groove formed on the inner circumferential surface, thereby raising and lowering the ground contact member relative to the therapeutic bed main body 200.

[0022] The control unit 100 side of the treatment bed main body 200 is located on the patient's head side, making it easy for a doctor to ask questions to the patient while looking at the screen of the display unit 102. In Fig. 1, the right side is the head side and the left side is the foot side. Hereinafter, the left side as viewed from the head side (the display surface side of the display unit 102) will be referred to as the front side.

[0023] A main switch 2101 for turning the power of the device on and off, a voltage meter 2102, and a current meter 2103 are disposed on the front side of the housing 210. In addition, openings of an appropriate size are formed in appropriate positions on the front side of the housing 210 for the purpose of heat dissipation, etc., and wire mesh covers 2104 are stretched over the openings.

[0024] The upper electrode unit 600 includes an upper electrode 601 and an arch portion 602 supporting the upper electrode 601. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper electrode 601 is generally disk-shaped, with a circular through-hole 601a formed in its center. The diameter of the through-hole 601a is preferably 1% to 10% of the diameter of the upper electrode 601. If the diameter of the through-hole 601a is smaller than this, the area where high-frequency power is concentrated becomes too narrow, while if the diameter of the through-hole 601a is larger than this, it becomes difficult to concentrate high-frequency power. By setting the diameter of the through-hole 601a within the above range, it is possible to effectively prevent displacement currents generated at the periphery of the electrode from expanding outward beyond the space between the two electrodes. For example, if the diameter of the upper electrode 601 is approximately 300 mm, a through-hole 601a with a diameter of approximately 10 mm can be preferably used. By using the upper electrode 601 having such through-holes 601a formed therein, high frequency power is supplied intensively to the vicinity of the periphery of the through-holes 601a.

[0025] As described in Patent Document 1, when disk-shaped electrodes with flat opposing surfaces are used, when high-frequency power is supplied to both electrodes, the displacement current generated at the center of the disk-shaped electrodes flows linearly from one electrode to the other, whereas the displacement current generated at the periphery of the electrodes flows from one electrode to the other while expanding outward from the space between the two electrodes. Therefore, the displacement current becomes weaker as one moves away from the center of the electrode pair, which is thought to make it difficult to heat the affected area.

[0026] In contrast, when a through-hole 601a is formed in the upper electrode 601 and high-frequency power is supplied to the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 as in this embodiment, the displacement current flowing inside the patient's body increases, making it easier to heat the affected area. For example, while it took about 45 minutes to heat the affected area when electrodes with flat opposing surfaces were used, this embodiment can heat the affected area in about 30 minutes.

[0027] The upper electrode 601 is attached to the arch portion 602 via a cylindrical arm portion 603. The arm portion 603 is extendable and can be compressed by up to 15 cm when pressed. The arch portion 602 has two legs. One leg can be detached at a detachment portion 6021, and the other leg can be rotated around a vertical axis at a rotation portion 6022. By detaching one leg at the detachment portion 6021 and rotating the arch portion 602 around the vertical axis at the rotation portion 6022, the upper electrode 601 can be retracted from above the table portion 220 to the side, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 .

[0028] The lower electrode 301 is disk-shaped and approximately the same size as the upper electrode 601. The lower electrode 301 is inserted into a circular hole 221 drilled slightly closer to the head than the center of the table portion 220 so that the upper surface of the lower electrode 301 is flush with the upper surface of the table portion 220. The upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 are placed on the surface of the patient's body (front and back) so as to sandwich the affected area of ​​the patient, i.e., the pancreas and liver.

[0029] The upper electrode 601 is electrically connected to the lower electrode 301 via the arch portion 602 and other components. The upper electrode 601 is also grounded. The arch portion 602 forms an earth potential space, which prevents electric field lines from the lower electrode 301 from diverging toward the ground. It also prevents external electric fields from affecting the space between the opposing upper electrode 601 and lower electrode 301, ensuring a uniform distribution of the electric field in the space. Temperature control pads 306 and 307 are attached to the opposing surfaces (the sides attached to the patient's body surface) of the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, respectively. Water distribution pipes (not shown) are connected to these temperature control pads 306 and 307.

[0030] Inside the housing 210, there are arranged a high frequency generating unit 400 that outputs high frequency power, an elevating mechanism 230 that raises and lowers the table unit 220, a cold water tank 308, and a hot water tank 309. The cold water tank 308 circulates cold water through a water distribution pipe and a chiller 310 (see FIG. 2) and supplies it to the temperature control pads 306, 307. The hot water tank 309 circulates hot water at approximately the same temperature as body temperature through a water distribution pipe and supplies it to the temperature control pads 306, 307. Water pumps 3081 and 3091 are connected to the cold water tank 308 and the hot water tank 309, respectively.

[0031] The water distribution pipe connected to the temperature control pads 306, 307 branches into two along the way, and is connected to a cold water tank 308 and a hot water tank 309, respectively. Each of these two branches is provided with a valve, and by switching these valves open and closed to drive water pumps 3081, 3091, it is possible to alternate between supplying hot water and cold water to the temperature control pads 306, 307. When heating of the affected area begins, hot water at approximately human body temperature is supplied to the temperature control pads 306, 307. After a predetermined time has elapsed since heating of the affected area began, cold water is supplied to the temperature control pads 306, 307 to prevent the patient's body temperature from rising excessively.

[0032] 2, the lifting mechanism 230 is composed of a cylinder base plate 232 placed on the bottom surface of the housing 210, hydraulic cylinders 233 and 234 standing upright from two locations on the cylinder base plate 232, and a lifting plate 231 placed on the upper ends of the hydraulic cylinders 233 and 234. The lifting mechanism 203 can raise and lower the lifting plate 231 by, for example, 15 cm.

[0033] A hydraulic unit 245 is connected to the hydraulic cylinders 233, 234. A known hydraulic unit 245 is used and includes a pump that supplies oil stored in an oil tank to the hydraulic cylinders 233, 234 at a predetermined pressure, and a hydraulic valve, and the height of the table portion 220 is adjusted by driving the pump to supply oil to the hydraulic cylinders 233, 234 at a predetermined pressure.

[0034] The lifting mechanism 230 is equipped with a parallel holding mechanism that raises and lowers the lifting plate 231 while maintaining it in a horizontal state. The parallel holding mechanism includes guides 235, 236 erected from two locations on the bottom surface of the housing 210, racks 237, 238 connected downward from two locations on the back surface of the lifting plate 231, and pinions 239, 240 located on both sides of the racks 237, 238. The parallel holding mechanism also includes a connecting arm 241 connected to the racks 237, 238 via the pinions 239, 240, and holding members 242, 243 that rotatably hold the connecting arm 241 at a position approximately midway between the guides 235, 236.

[0035] The operation of the parallel holding mechanism to keep the lift plate 231 parallel will now be described. When the lift plate 231 moves upward and the racks 237 and 238 rise, the pinions 239 and 240 rotate, causing the connecting arm 241 to rotate. Simultaneously with the rotation of the connecting arm 241, the piston rods 2331 and 2341 operate in synchronization. This allows the lift plate 231 to be raised and lowered while remaining horizontal.

[0036] In this way, the connecting arm 241 synchronously operates the piston rods 2331, 2341 so that they move up and down while maintaining the same height. Even if the two hydraulic cylinders 233, 234 have the same hydraulic pressure, when a patient is placed on them, the loads acting on the hydraulic cylinders 233, 234 will be different, causing the height positions of the piston rods 2331, 2341 to differ slightly, and the lifting plate 231 may not be able to move up and down horizontally. For this reason, the connecting arm 241 is provided so that the piston rods 2331, 2341 can move while maintaining the same height position.

[0037] Connecting members 244 are erected at six locations on the upper surface of the lifting plate 231. The connecting members 244 are provided at multiple locations (in this embodiment, at the four corners of the lifting plate 231 and on both sides of the lifting plate 231 in the width direction, slightly closer to the feet than the center) that equally support the patient's weight, and the table unit 220 is located at the upper end of each connecting member 244. Another connecting member 244 is erected at a position corresponding to the center of the circular hole 221 of the lifting plate 231, and connects and supports the lower electrode 301. A universal joint is interposed between the connecting portion of the lower electrode 301 and the connecting member 244, allowing only the lower electrode 301 to move up and down. By making the lower electrode 301 higher than the table unit 220, close contact between the table unit 220 and the feet is ensured.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the main components of the control unit 100 and the high-frequency generating unit 400. The high-frequency generating unit 400 includes a power supply circuit 401, a high-frequency generating circuit 402, a matching circuit 403, and a high-frequency power meter 404. The power supply circuit 401 supplies a predetermined level of power to the high-frequency generating circuit 402. The high-frequency generating circuit 402 generates high-frequency power of approximately 1 kW at, for example, 8 MHz using a self-oscillation method. The high-frequency power meter 404 measures the magnitude of the high-frequency power supplied to the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301. The high-frequency power meter 404 detects the incident power to the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 and the reflected power from the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301. Alternatively, the power supplied to the load side can be calculated from the output power and the incident power. The measurement value of the high-frequency power meter 404 is input to the control unit 100 and displayed on the display unit 102.

[0039] The matching circuit 403 of this embodiment is made up of a variable capacitor circuit. By adjusting the capacitance of the capacitor to change the output impedance, impedance matching is performed between the high frequency generating circuit 402 and the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, i.e., the load side. The control unit 100 can determine the capacitance component on the load side from the amount of adjustment made to the capacitor.

[0040] The tomographic image 107 is an X-ray image of the patient taken by a CT (Computer Tomography) scanner, an image of the patient's biological tissue taken by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), etc. The density of the image corresponds to the density of the tomographic plane including the affected area 500.

[0041] The camera 108 is composed of an area sensor or the like with an array of solid-state image sensors (CCDs: Charge-Coupled Devices), and captures an image of the affected area of ​​each patient to obtain a tomographic image 107. The captured image signal is converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted to the control unit 100 via an amplifier 109 and stored in the RAM 105 as density information D(i, j). Here, (i, j) indicates an address in the RAM 105 corresponding to the position of each part on the tomographic plane, and the density has a predetermined number of bits, for example, 8 bits, to enable the calculations described later to be performed with sufficient precision.

[0042] In addition, if the density information D(i,j) of each patient's tomographic image 107 is transmitted, for example, via a communication means or imported from an external memory, the density information D(i,j) can be received using an interface instead of the camera 108.

[0043] The ROM 106 stores programs, arithmetic expressions, tables, and information necessary for various data processing to realize each function of the control unit 100. The ROM 106 stores an initial value C0 of the capacitance component on the load side, an electric field distribution model K(i,j) based on the shapes of the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 and the distance between the electrodes, and an initial distribution impedance ρ0(i,j) at any position on the tomographic plane of the diseased area 500. The electric field distribution model K(i,j) and the initial distribution impedance ρ0(i,j) can be calculated based on the dimensions of the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, the distance between the electrodes, and the results of a simulation performed in advance with a uniform dielectric interposed between the electrodes.

[0044] The control unit 100 also includes, as functional blocks, a capacitance calculation unit 110, a distribution impedance calculation unit 111, an affected area temperature calculation unit 112, and a high-frequency control unit 113. The actual entity of the control unit 100 is a personal computer or the like, and these functional blocks are realized by executing a program stored in advance in the ROM 106 on a processor.

[0045] The capacitance calculation unit 110 calculates the capacitance component C on the load side from the adjustment amount of the variable capacitor of the matching circuit 403. The distributed impedance calculation unit 111 calculates the change Δρ(i, j) in the distributed impedance at any position on the tomographic plane including the affected area 500 using the following equation (1). In the above equation (1), α is a coefficient, and f is the frequency of the high-frequency power.

[0046] The power density P (unit: W / m) of the displacement current absorbed by biological tissue when high-frequency power is supplied 3 ) is expressed by the following formula: In the above equation (2), E is the electric field strength, ε is the tissue permittivity, and εtaδ is the tissue dielectric loss.

[0047] The affected area temperature calculation unit 112 calculates the temperature change ΔT(i,j) at any position on the tomographic plane including the affected area 500. The high-frequency control unit 113 controls the power output from the high-frequency generation circuit 402. Furthermore, the capacitance calculation unit 110 calculates the capacitance component C between the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, which varies with changes in the patient's body temperature, from the adjustment amount of the variable capacitor in the matching circuit 403. The calculation of the temperature change ΔT(i,j) and other processes performed by the affected area temperature calculation unit 112 are the same as those described in Patent Document 1, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0048] <Method of Heating an Affected Area> Hereinafter, a method of heating an affected area (a patient's pancreas or liver) using the above-described type 2 diabetes treatment device (a method of using the type 2 diabetes treatment device; a method of treating type 2 diabetes) will be described.

[0049] First, the upper electrode 601 and arch portion 602 are retracted from above the table 220 (to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 ), and the patient 10 lies on the table 220. At this time, the affected area 10 a (the pancreas or liver of the patient 10) to which high-frequency power is to be supplied is positioned above the lower electrode 301. Next, the arch portion 602 is rotated around the pivoting portion 6022 to connect the resection portion 6021 (to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1 ), and the upper electrode 601 is positioned above the upper abdomen of the patient 10. Next, the lifting mechanism 230 is driven to raise the table 220, and the patient 10 is sandwiched from the front and back by the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301. In this way, the patient's upper abdomen is sandwiched between the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, and the affected area 10 a (the pancreas or liver) of the patient 10 is positioned between the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 ( FIG. 7 ).

[0050] Next, high-frequency power of a predetermined frequency and a predetermined magnitude is supplied to the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 to heat the affected area 10a of the patient 10 to a temperature within a predetermined range. Because the higher the frequency of the high-frequency power, the faster the energy attenuation occurs, the predetermined frequency is determined, for example, taking into account the distance from the patient's body surface to the affected area 500. In this embodiment, the frequency of the high-frequency power is 8 MHz. Although the 8 MHz frequency band is not recognized for medical use under the Radio Act, approval for use of this frequency band can be obtained by, for example, adopting a configuration that does not cause external radio interference. While the frequency of the high-frequency power is 8 MHz in this embodiment, other frequency bands can also be used. Similarly, when using other frequency bands, approval for use of these frequency bands can be obtained by, for example, adopting a configuration that does not cause external radio interference. Furthermore, the amount of energy required to heat the affected area 500 varies depending on the patient's physique, and therefore the predetermined magnitude is determined based on the patient's physique, etc. Specifically, for example, high frequency power of 100 W or more and 1500 W or less can be used. The high frequency power is preferably 200 W or more, more preferably 300 W or more, and even more preferably 400 W or more. In this embodiment, the high frequency power is 1000 W.

[0051] While high-frequency power is being supplied to the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301, the high-frequency control unit 113 monitors the data of the temperature change ΔT(i,j) calculated by the affected area temperature calculation unit 112 and feedback-controls the magnitude of the high-frequency power so as to maintain the temperature of the affected area 500 within a predetermined range. During the supply of high-frequency power, cool water is supplied to the temperature control pads 306 and 307 as needed to prevent the patient's body surface from overheating. The temperature within the predetermined range is a temperature range effective for improving insulin secretion by the pancreas and improving blood flow to the pancreas, specifically, for example, 38°C or higher and 43°C or lower. Preferably, the temperature is 39°C or higher and 40°C or lower.

[0052] As described above, it is preferable that the heating operation of placing the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 on the patient's body surface across the affected area 500 and supplying high-frequency power be performed continuously for 30 to 60 minutes per session, which allows the affected area to be sufficiently heated and improves the therapeutic effect per session.

[0053] Furthermore, it is preferable to treat type 2 diabetes by heating the affected area using a type 2 diabetes treatment device continuously. If heating of the affected area is interrupted, immune activity may decrease, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is effective to continuously increase immune activity by continuously heating the affected area. Specifically, for example, heating should be performed once a day, at least once a week (preferably at least twice a week, more preferably at least three times a week), for a total of at least five times (preferably at least 15 times, and preferably at least 20 times depending on the symptoms).

[0054] Experiments using diabetic model mice have already confirmed that heating the affected area as described above has a favorable therapeutic effect on type 2 diabetes. The reason why heating the affected area is effective in improving type 2 diabetes is thought to be as follows: When a displacement current is passed through the affected area, molecular heating is generated in the affected area, activating cells in the pancreas and liver. Heating the pancreas to the above temperature range locally activates the immune system, and heating the liver to the above temperature range improves blood flow to the pancreas, promoting insulin production in the pancreas and simultaneously exerting a comprehensive immunological effect, which is thought to have resulted in the therapeutic effect on type 2 diabetes.

[0055] Furthermore, in addition to the treatment of heating the affected area, a treatment of administering insulin may also be used in combination. For example, heating the affected area 5 to 6 times per week for a total of two weeks, followed by heating the affected area twice per week for the next two weeks, with additional treatment by administering insulin. This is expected to result in a more effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. These are merely one aspect of the heating operation, and can be modified as appropriate. For example, heating by supplying high-frequency power may be performed once a day for five or more consecutive times (five or more days). This can further enhance the therapeutic effect of type 2 diabetes.

[0056] In this embodiment, it is preferable to supply high-frequency power to heat the affected area while taking into consideration the patient's overall condition and type 2 diabetes index. Since supplying high-frequency power to the affected area as in this embodiment causes almost no side effects, type 2 diabetes can be continuously treated according to the patient's condition without placing an excessive burden on the patient. Furthermore, as described above, improved blood flow to the pancreas increases oxygen partial pressure and brings pH closer to normal, which also activates immune function. Furthermore, these combined effects can also improve quality of life (QOL).

[0057] The above embodiment is merely an example and can be modified as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the through-hole 601 a is formed only in the upper electrode 601 , but the through-hole may be formed only in the lower electrode 301 , or may be formed in both the upper electrode 601 and the lower electrode 301 .

[0059] In the above embodiment, one through-hole is formed in the center of the disk-shaped upper electrode 601. However, multiple through-holes (preferably, multiple through-holes at positions rotationally symmetrical with respect to the center of the upper electrode 601) may be formed so as to surround the center of the upper electrode 601 and / or the lower electrode 301. When there is only one through-hole, the through-hole 601a is formed in the center of the electrode as in the above embodiment. Furthermore, when the upper electrode or the lower electrode has a shape other than a disk, one or more through-holes may be formed so as to surround the center of gravity instead of the center. Figure 8 shows an example in which four through-holes 601b are formed so as to surround the center of the upper electrode 601.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the disk-shaped upper electrode 601 and lower electrode 301 are used, but other shapes may be used. However, if corners are provided, the electric field may be locally concentrated at the corners, resulting in an uneven electric field, so it is preferable to use electrodes with a shape that does not have corners. Specifically, for example, an electrode having an elliptical shape in a plan view can be used.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the through-hole 601a has a circular cross-section, but a through-hole of another shape may also be used. However, for the same reasons as above, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape does not have corners, and one example of such a shape is a through-hole having an elliptical cross-section. Note that when the electrode or through-hole is non-circular, the diameter thereof may be defined as the diameter of a circle having the same area as the surface or cross-section of the electrode or through-hole.

[0062] Aspects It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are examples of the following aspects.

[0063] (Item 1) A type 2 diabetes treatment device according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising two plate electrodes, a through hole formed in the thickness direction of at least one of the two plate electrodes, and a high-frequency power source that supplies high-frequency power to the two plate electrodes.

[0064] When using the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 1, two plate electrodes are placed on the patient's body surface so as to sandwich the affected area (the patient's pancreas or liver), and high-frequency power is applied to these plate electrodes. At least one of these two plate electrodes has through-holes formed in the thickness direction. By heating the patient's pancreas, it is possible to directly act on the pancreas and activate insulin secretion. Furthermore, by heating the patient's liver, it is possible to improve (supplement) blood flow to the pancreas and activate insulin secretion from the pancreas.

[0065] When two plate-shaped electrodes are placed on the surface of the body, sandwiching the affected area, and high-frequency power is supplied to them, an electric field is formed, which causes high-frequency displacement currents (also called electric flux currents) to flow inside the dielectric body. In the hepatitis C treatment device described in Patent Document 1, the displacement current generated at the center of the disk-shaped electrodes flows linearly from one electrode to the other, while the displacement current generated at the periphery of the electrodes flows from one electrode to the other, expanding outward from the space between the two electrodes. Therefore, the displacement current becomes weaker as one moves away from the center of the electrode pair, which is thought to make it difficult to heat the affected area.

[0066] In the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 1, a through hole is formed in the thickness direction in at least one of the two plate-like electrodes. When a through hole is formed in the thickness direction of the plate-like electrode, a displacement current tends to concentrate in the vicinity of the through hole. Therefore, in the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 1, the displacement current generated from the peripheral portion of the electrode is prevented from bulging outward from the space sandwiched between the two plate-like electrodes, and the pancreas and liver can be reliably heated to activate insulin secretion.

[0067] (Second paragraph) The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the second paragraph is the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the first paragraph, wherein the through-hole is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0068] In the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 2, the through-holes do not have corners, so that the displacement current does not concentrate locally in one part of the through-hole, and the displacement current can be uniformly passed through the space sandwiched between the two plate-shaped electrodes.

[0069] (Item 3) The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to item 3 is the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to item 1 or 2, wherein one or more of the through holes are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the plate-like electrode.

[0070] In the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 3, the through holes that concentrate the displacement current are located symmetrically with respect to the center (middle or center of gravity) of the electrode, so that the displacement current can be uniformly passed through the space sandwiched between the two plate-shaped electrodes.

[0071] (4) The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to 4 is a type 2 diabetes treatment device according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein the diameter of the through hole is 1% or more and 10% or less of the diameter of the plate electrode in which the through hole is formed.

[0072] In the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to the fourth aspect, the displacement current generated from the peripheral edge of the electrode can flow uniformly in the space sandwiched between the two plate-like electrodes.

[0073] (Clause 5) The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to clause 5 is the type 2 diabetes treatment device according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the magnitude of the high frequency power is 100W or more and 1500W or less.

[0074] The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to paragraph 5 supplies high-frequency power of 100W to 1500W depending on the patient's physique, etc. This heats the affected area to 38°C to 43°C, generating molecular heat and activating cells. As a result, the immune system is activated, promoting insulin production in the pancreas and exerting a comprehensive immunological effect, thereby effectively treating type 2 diabetes.

[0075] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Patient 10a... Affected area 100... Control unit 101... Operation unit 102... Display unit 103... Output unit 105... RAM 106... ROM 107... Tomographic image 108... Camera 109... Amplifier 110... Capacity calculation unit 111... Distribution impedance calculation unit 112... Affected area temperature calculation unit 113... High frequency control unit 200... Treatment bed body 203... Lifting mechanism 210... Housing 2101... Main switch 2102... Voltmeter 2103... Ammeter 2104... Wire mesh cover 211... Wheels 212... Fixing member 220... Table unit 221... Circular hole 230... Lifting mechanism 231... Lifting plate 232... Cylinder base plate 233, 234... Hydraulic cylinder 2331, 2341... Piston rod 235, 236... Guide 237, 238... Rack 239, 240... Pinion 241... Connecting arm 242, 243... Holding member 244... Connecting member 245... Hydraulic unit 301... Lower electrode 306, 307... Temperature control pad 308... Cold water tank 309... Hot water tank 3081, 3091... Water pump 310... Chiller 400... High frequency generating unit 401... Power supply circuit 402... High frequency generating circuit 403... Matching circuit 404... High frequency power meter 500... Affected area 600... Upper electrode portion 601... Upper electrode 601a, 601b... Through hole 602... Arch portion 6021... Separation portion 6022... Rotating portion 603... Arm portion

Claims

1. A type 2 diabetes treatment device comprising: two plate electrodes; a through hole formed in the thickness direction of at least one of the two plate electrodes; and a high-frequency power source that supplies high-frequency power to the two plate electrodes.

2. The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to claim 1, characterized in that the through-hole is formed in a cylindrical shape.

3. A type 2 diabetes treatment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that one or more of the through holes are provided in symmetrical positions with respect to the center of the plate electrode.

4. The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the through hole is 1% or more and 10% or less of the diameter of the plate electrode in which the through hole is formed.

5. The type 2 diabetes treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the high frequency power is 100W or more and 1500W or less.

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