A microwave antenna for medical ablation

摘要

A microwave antenna (10) for medical ablation is disclosed. The microwave antenna (10) for medical ablation comprises: (a) a transmission line (11) having an inner conductor (13), an outer conductor (14) and a dielectric insulator (15) to provide insulation between the inner and outer conductor; and (b) an energy-emitting antenna element (12) positioned at the distal end of the transmission line to transmit a microwave near-field. The antenna element (12) has an inner conductor (17) electrically coupled to the inner conductor of the transmission line and a sheath of dielectric insulator (16) around the inner conductor. The antenna element comprises a conducting metallic cap (20) that is electrically connected to the distal end of the inner conductor where the cap (20) surrounds a length of the sheath of insulator. The dimensions of the cap (20) are determined to provide impedance matching between the antenna element (12) and the transmission line. The antenna element (12) is configured with conducting rings spaced apart from each other along the length of the antenna element by slots and is being bent to form an open loop oriented such that the antenna element (12) extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the transmission line.