CELL NECROSIS APPARATUS WITH COOLED MICROWAVE ANTENNA

摘要

A cell necrosis apparatus for delivering thermal microwave energy to a specific site in a body, including: a. A microwave generator, b. A coolant delivery system for delivering and circulating a quantity of cooled liquid coolant via inlet and return passageways, c. A probe including a probe handle and a probe body having a proximal portion coupled to the probe handle and a distal portion, d. A microwave antenna in the distal portion of the probe body for applying thermal microwave energy to a specific site in cell necrosis treatment, and e. A microwave transmission line extending from the microwave generator to and through the probe handle and to and through the probe body to the microwave antenna and electrically coupled thereto, where the inlet and return coolant flow passageways extend from the coolant delivery system to and through the probe handle and thence extend coaxially about the microwave transmission line and along the length thereof within the probe body, and extend coaxially about the antenna and long the length thereof within the probe body, and where a first of the inlet and return coolant flow passageways is radially outward of and immediately adjacent the microwave transmission line and the antenna within the probe body and the other of the inlet flow passageways is radially outward of the first flow passageway.