SOFT TISSUE HEATING APPARATUS WITH INDEPENDENT, COOPERATIVE HEATING SOURCES

摘要

This invention is a medical probe (10) for the heating of soft tissue, such as collagen tissue, wherein the medical probe has a elongeted body (12) with a proximal, a distal end, a heating source (16), and an RF electrode (14). Optional components include a thermocouple (24), and an insulating sleeve (20). The probe's elongated body is preferably hollow, and flexible. The RF electrode and the heating source are powered by independently controlled power sources (17, 21), cooperate to maintain a constant and smooth temperature to the distal end of the RF electrode. The heating source may be a contained liquid, such as saline, or an electro-thermal mass, such as a ferrite (36), a toroid, a resistive element (40), or the like. Current induced from the conductor (24) to the heating source creates heat in the heating source. The thermocouple measures the temperature of the heating source, and adjusts the power to the conductor to maintain the heating source's temperature.