Colon Treatment Probe Using Heated Fluid for Selective Tissue Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease often fail to effectively target diseased areas while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue, leading to inefficiencies and side effects.
Innovation Solution
The method involves introducing a fluid with a higher dielectric constant than tissue into the colon, sealed off using clamping or plugging, and applying microwave or ultrasound energy to heat the fluid, which selectively treats the inflamed tissue while protecting surrounding areas, or using an electrically-conductive fluid to deliver energy for thermal treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical removal of diseased portions is performed, then ulcerative colitis symptoms are treated effectively, but damage to un-diseased tissue occurs and recovery time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively treating only the diseased portions of the colon through localized thermal energy delivery. The system uses a probe to target specific inflamed areas while preserving healthy tissue, thereby improving treatment effectiveness without damaging un-diseased tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical surgical removal with thermal energy-based treatment. Instead of physically removing diseased tissue through surgery, the system uses thermal energy to treat the affected areas, reducing trauma to surrounding tissues and accelerating recovery.
2Reliability
If traditional surgical removal is performed, then ulcerative colitis is treated, but recovery time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical surgery with non-invasive thermal energy delivery. This substitution minimizes tissue trauma and promotes faster healing, thereby reducing recovery time while maintaining treatment effectiveness for ulcerative colitis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling thermal energy parameters (temperature, duration, intensity) to achieve effective treatment with minimal tissue damage. By optimizing these parameters, the system accelerates recovery while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If microwave or ultrasound energy is applied to heat fluid in the colon, then inflamed tissue is treated selectively, but energy delivery control is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms to monitor and control energy delivery in real-time. The system detects tissue response and adjusts energy parameters accordingly, enabling selective heating of inflamed tissue while preventing excessive energy delivery that could damage healthy tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses fluid as an intermediary medium to deliver thermal energy to the colon wall. The fluid facilitates controlled energy transfer, allowing selective heating of target areas while the feedback system monitors and adjusts energy delivery to prevent damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for focused thermal treatment of inflamed tissue, reducing inflammation and ulceration while minimizing damage to healthy tissue and critical structures, thereby alleviating symptoms with controlled heating and energy delivery.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid defines a dielectric constant greater than a dielectric constant of tissue such that, upon application of microwave energy from the microwave energy source, the fluid is heated
Implementation Method 2
an acoustic impedance difference between the fluid and tissue may be utilized such that, upon application of ultrasonic energy from the ultrasound energy source, heating occurs at an interface between the fluid and tissue
Implementation Method 3
energizing an electrode disposed within the portion of the patient's colon such that energy is conducted through the electrically-conductive fluid and tissue of the portion of the patient's colon in contact with the electrically-conductive fluid
Implementation Method 4
energy is conducted through the electrically-conductive fluid and tissue... to treat tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A method of treating bowel diseases includes introducing a fluid into a portion of a patient's colon and applying energy thereto from an external energy source such that the fluid and the energy cooperate to treat tissue of the portion of the patient's colon in contact with the fluid. Another method of treating inflammatory bowel diseases includes sealing a portion of a patient's colon, introducing an electrically-conductive fluid thereto, and energizing an electrode disposed therein to treat tissue of the portion of the patient's colon in contact with the electrically-conductive fluid. Another method of treating inflammatory bowel diseases includes sealing a portion of a patient's colon and introducing a heated fluid at a temperature equal to or above 60° C. to treat tissue of the portion of the patient's colon in contact with the heated fluid.