Thermal treatment apparatus

Thermal treatment apparatus for thermally treating selected tissues of a subject located in or near a body cavity, comprising:

• a catheter insertable into the subject's body cavity and including a proximal end with a length which is to be inserted into the body cavity, a distal end to be located externally of the body cavity, and an inflatable heating section on located along a portion of the length of said proximal end to be located near the tissue to be heated such that it can be inserted and positioned in a desired location within a body cavity;
• first and second passageways extending from said distal end to said inflatable heating section in fluid communication with each other are for circulating heated fluid through said inflatable heating section;
• a first thermal sensor assembly associated with the inlet end of said first passageway for measuring the temperature of the heated fluid entering said first passageway;
• a second thermal sensor assembly associated with the outlet end of said second passageway for measuring the temperature of the heated fluid exiting from said second passageway;
• and thermal insulation surrounding said first and second passageways from close to said distal end to close to said inflatable heating section, said thermal insulation including a plurality of separate compartments containing a non-heated fluid, said compartments extending axially along the said catheter.

A thermal treatment system for thermally treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, comprising:

• a catheter configured to be inserted into the urethra of a subject, said catheter having a length extending from a distal end to a proximate end, said distal end located external of said subject during use and said proximate end configured to reside in the bladder of the subject during use, said catheter comprising;
• an inflatable anchoring balloon configured to inflate and reside against the bladder neck of the subject to hold said catheter in position,
• an inflatable heating section configured and sized to be positioned adjacent prostate tissue to be heated during use, said anchoring balloon and said inflatable heating section being arranged on said catheter such that when said anchoring balloon is in position and inflated to reside against the bladder neck, said inflatable heating section is inflated to an expanded configuration such that it firmly presses against the prostate tissue to enhance the heating effects provided by contact with said inflatable heating section;
• an extension having a bladder drainage port positioned on said proximate end of said catheter, said extension bladder drainage port in fluid communication with a drainage passage extending along the length of the catheter for allowing the bladder to drain urine therethrough;
• a first inlet passageway and a second outlet passageway extending from said distal end of said catheter to said inflatable heating section configured to circulate heated fluid therethrough;
• a third passageway extending from said distal end of said catheter to said inflatable anchoring section to direct an inflating fluid thereto, said third passageway being separate from said first and second passageways;
• thermal insulation surrounding said first and second passageways from close to said distal end to close to said inflatable heating section, said thermal insulation comprising a plurality of separate compartments containing a non-heated fluid, said compartments extending axially along said catheter intermediate said distal end and said inflatable heating section;
• a liquid reservoir in fluid communication with said catheter;
• a heater operably associated with said liquid reservoir;
• a pump operably associated with said liquid reservoir and said catheter for circulating heated fluid through said catheter;
• a first thermal sensor operably associated with heated fluid traveling into said first inlet passageway;
• a second thermal sensor operably associated with heated fluid traveling out of said second outlet passageway;
• and
• a controller operably associated with said pump, said first thermal sensor, said second thermal sensor, and said heater, wherein said controller controls the operation of said heater and said pump in response to temperatures associated with said heated circulating fluid as sensed by said first and second thermal sensors,
• wherein said thermal treatment system and said catheter are configured to direct the circulating heated fluid to said prostate to treat benign prostate hyperplasia by exposing tissue in the prostate of the subject to a desired high temperature without correspondingly heating non-selected tissues.