Shape Control of Freeze Zones in Prostate Cryosurgery

近年来，前列腺癌的早期检测、图像引导手术和微创治疗的趋势促进了对前列腺癌冷冻方法的持续关注。冷冻手术治疗已经失宠和失宠，至少部分是由于对尿道和直肠壁中敏感组织的损伤风险。 经直肠超声和尿道加温器的可用性显着改善了这种情况，但冻结区的形状仍然难以控制。所提出的冷冻手术探针提供对冷冻区域的形状的直接控制，保护敏感的附近组织免受热损伤。 它还包括传感器来测量整个冷冻区的实际温度。 在第一阶段，将制造原理验证探针并进行体外测试。 在第二阶段，将建立一个原型探针，并在体内进行测试。拟议的商业应用：拟议的冷冻治疗探头具有强大的商业潜力。 我们的商业化战略是基于将根据该计划开发的技术许可给现有的医疗设备供应商。

The recent trends toward early detection, image-guided surgery, and preference for minimally invasive treatments for prostate cancer have fostered continuing interest in cryotherapeutic approaches to prostate cancer. Cryosurgical treatment has fallen in and out of favor, due at least in part to the risk of damage to sensitive tissues in the urethra and rectal wall. The availability of transrectal ultrasound and urethral warmers improves the situation markedly, but the shape of the freeze zone remains challenging to control. The proposed cryosurgical probe provides direct control over the shape of the frozen region, protecting sensitive nearby tissues from thermal damage. It also includes sensors to measure the actual temperatures achieved across the freeze zone. In Phase I, a proof-of-principle probe will be fabricated and tested in vitro. In Phase II, a prototype probe will be built and tested in vivo. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The proposed cryotherapy probe has strong commercial potential. Our commercialization strategy is based on licensing the technology developed under this program to an existing vendor of medical equipment.