System method and apparatus for localized heating of tissue

1. A method for thermally treating a target tissue volume within the body of a patient comprising the steps of:

(a) determining temperature value and treatment interval therapy data for carrying out said treatment of said target tissue volume;

(b) providing an untethered implant having a discernable response condition when at a select temperature corresponding with said therapy data temperature value;

(c) providing an alternating current field based heating assembly having an on state and an off state and controllable for the generation of heat at said target tissue volume from an application component located externally of said body;

(d) providing a detector assembly having a pick-up component positionable externally of said body and having, when enabled, a detector output in response to said implant discernable response condition;

(e) locating said untethered implant at an intra-body location effective for response to temperatures at the location of said target tissue;

(f) positioning said detector assembly pick-up at a location externally of said body effective for detecting said implant discernable response condition;

(g) controlling said heating assembly to elevate the temperature of said target tissue;

(h) monitoring said detector assembly for the presence of said detector output corresponding with said select temperature;

(i) modulating the control of said heating assembly to substantially maintain said determined temperature value in correspondence with the occurrence of said detector output; and

(j) controlling said heating assembly to terminate said generation of heat at said target tissue at the expiration of said determined treatment interval.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect induction of therapeutic levels of heat shock protein from said target tissue volume.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said step (h) monitoring said detector assembly includes the step of:

(h1) commencing the timing of said treatment interval when said detector output corresponds with said select temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (e) locating said untethered implant at an intra-body location is carried out in the course of open surgery; and

said steps (b) through (d) and (f) through (j) are carried out subsequent to said step (e).

5. The method of claim 1 in which said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect hyperthermia therapy for the treatment of cancer.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect thermal therapy for the repair of boney tissue.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect induction of heat shock protein from a said tissue carrying infectious disease.

8. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (b) provides said implant as a ferromagnetic material exhibiting a Curie temperature permeability transition corresponding with said select temperature; and

said step (d) provides said detector assembly as a magnetometer deriving said detector output upon the occurrence of said temperature responsive component Curie temperature permeability transition.

9. The method of claim 8 in which:

said step (h) carries out the monitoring of said detector assembly by determining said detector output as the diminution of perturbation of the earth's magnetic field in the presence of said permeability transition.

10. The method of claim 9 in which:

said step (d) for providing a detector assembly further comprises the steps of:

providing an oscillatory patient support; and

providing said pick-up component as a single channel pick-up component;

said step (h) further comprises the steps of:

positioning said patient upon said patient support; and

oscillating said patient support while maintaining said pick-up component in a stationary state.

11. The method of claim 8 in which:

said step (d) for providing a detector assembly further comprises the steps of:

providing an electromagnet energizable to create a magnetic field; and

energizing said electromagnet to cause said magnetic field to extend through said target tissue volume; and

said step (h) carries out the monitoring of said detector assembly by determining said detector output as the diminution of perturbation of said created magnetic field.

12. The method of claim 8 in which:

said step (b) provides said untethered implant as comprising a non-magnetic heating component configured as a stent having a generally cylindrically shaped outward luminal engagement surface, and a temperature responsive component exhibiting said Curie temperature permeability transition corresponding with said determined temperature and coupled in intimate thermal exchange relationship with said stent; and

said step (e) locates said implant within a blood vessel.

13. The method of claim 12 in which said step (d) for providing a detector assembly provides said magnetometer as having a said pick-up as a multi-channel pick-up array.

14. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly is carried out by deriving said on and off states to define a sequence of heating intervals in the absence of said detector output.

15. The method of claim 14 in which:

said step (h) for monitoring said detector assembly carries out said monitoring by enabling said detector assembly for an interrogation interval occurring subsequent to a said heating interval.

16. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (c) provides said heating assembly as having a heat energy generating output during said on state; and

said step (b) provides said implant as comprising a non-magnetic heating component responsive to said output to elevate the temperature of said target tissue volume and a temperature responsive component having said discernable response condition when at said determined temperature.

17. The method of claim 16 in which said step (b) provides said implant as comprising a said non-magnetic heating component coupled in heat exchange relationship with said temperature responsive component.

18. The method of claim 17 in which said step (b) provides said implant as further comprising a release agent material in thermal exchange relationship with said non-magnetic heating component and responsive for thermally activated dispersion when said temperature responsive component is at said determined temperature.

19. The method of claim 17 in which:

said step (b) provides said untethered implant with said non-magnetic heating component being provided as a stent having a generally cylindrically shaped outward luminal engagement surface, and said temperature responsive component is coupled in intimate thermal exchange relationship with said stent; and

said step (e) locates said implant within a blood vessel.

20. The method of claim 19 in which said step (b) provides said non-magnetic heating component stent as further comprising a release agent material supported in thermal exchange relationship therewith and responsive to effect its dispersion to limit restenosis when said temperature responsive component is at said determined temperature.

21. The method of claim 19 in which said step (b) provides said temperature responsive component as being coupled with said stent outward luminal engagement surface.

22. The method of claim 21 in which said step (b) provides said implant as further comprising a non-magnetic flexible band agalvanic with respect to said stent and surmounting said outward engagement surface and said temperature responsive component.

23. The method of claim 19 in which said step (b) provides an assembly of at least two of said temperature responsive components disposed generally along the lengthwise extent of said stent.

24. The method of claim 19 in which said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect hyperthermia therapy for the treatment of restenosis.

25. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect hyperthermia therapy for the treatment of restenosis;

said step (b) provides said implant as an expandable, generally cylindrical non-magnetic support member having an outer surface extending along a central axis, having an insertion diameter of extent permitting its insertion within a non-magnetic stent previously implanted within a blood vessel of said patient and formed of a biocompatible material agalvanic with respect to said stent, said implant further comprising a temperature sensor component fixed in thermally responsive relationship with said support member and having said discernable response condition when at said select temperature;

said step (e) locates said implant within said previously implanted stent and causes its diametric expansion from said insertion diameter to an extent effective to interlock with said stent; and

said step (g) controls said heating assembly to cause the temperature of said stent to elevate toward said determined temperature.

26. The method of claim 25 in which;

said step (b) provides said temperature sensor component as a ferromagnetic material component exhibiting a Curie temperature permeability transition corresponding with said determined temperature; and

said step (d) provides said detector assembly as a magnetometer deriving said detector output upon the occurrence of said Curie temperature permeability transition.

27. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (a) determines said therapy data to effect an acceleration of the rate of repair of boney tissue incorporating a non-magnetic metal bone support component;

said step (b) provides said implant in intimate thermal bond with said metal bone support component; and

said step (e) locates said implant in conjunction with the incorporation of said metal bone support component with said boney tissue.

28. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly carries out said control by causing said on-state to occur in the absence of said detector output and causing said off-state to occur in the presence of said detector output.

29. The method of claim 28 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly carries out said control by causing said on-state to occur for a heating interval in the absence of said detector output and causing said off-state to occur following said heating interval for an interrogation interval; and

said step (h) carries out said monitoring by enabling said detector assembly during said interrogation interval.

30. The method of claim 29 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly carries out said control by maintaining said off-state when said detector output is present during an interrogation interval until the termination of said detector output, whereupon said on-state is caused to occur.

31. The method of claim 29 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly provides a said heating interval in the range of from about 0.01 seconds to about 30 seconds.

32. The method of claim 29 in which:

said step (i) for modulating the control of said heating assembly provides a said heating interval in the range of from about 0.05 seconds to about 5 seconds.

33. The method of claim 29 in which said interrogation interval is within a range of from about 0.005 seconds to about 5 seconds.

34. The method of claim 29 in which said interrogation interval is within a range of from about 0.02 seconds to about 1 seconds.

35. The method of claim 1 in which:

said treatment is the induction of apoptosis of said target tissue volume of said body.

36. The method of claim 1 in which:

said treatment is the induction of necrosis of said target tissue volume of said body.

37. The method of claim 1 in which:

said temperature being monitored of is within a range from about 39° C. to about 70° C.

38. The method of claim 1 in which:

said temperature being monitored is within a range from about 42° C. to about 45° C.

39. The method of claim 1 in which:

said temperature being monitored is within a range from about 37° C. to about 41° C.

40. The method of claim 1 in which:

said elevated temperature is elevated to within a range from about 4° C. to about 13° C. over normal temperature of the animal body.

41. The method of claim 1 in which:

said elevated temperature is elevated to within a range from about 2° C. to about 33° C. over normal temperature of the animal body.