The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 04, 1999
Kenneth L. Carr, Harvard, MA (US);
Microwave Medical Systems, Inc., Acton, MA (US);
Abstract
Intracorporeal warming apparatus includes a catheter for placement in a patient, the catheter having a distal end and a proximal end. An antenna lies adjacent to the distal end of the catheter and a cable having one end connected to the antenna extends from the proximal end of the catheter. A transmitter transmits a first signal of a first frequency capable of heating blood or tissue and a receiver receives a second signal of a second frequency which is indicative of thermal radiation, the receiver producing an output signal in response thereto. A diplexer connects the proximal end of the cable to the transmitter and receiver so as to couple the first signal from the transmitter only to the antenna and the second signal from the antenna only to the receiver so that the apparatus can simultaneously heat the blood or tissue and determine the actual temperature of that material. Preferably also, the catheter includes an expandable stand-off device adjacent to the antenna which can be expanded to properly position the catheter when in use. There is also provision for indicating the condition of the stand-off device, i.e., open or closed, before the apparatus is activated.