Method for treatment of erectile dysfunction

Abstract

A method for treatment of erectile dysfunction is described using RF energy with multiple electrodes applied to the treated tissue.

Claims

1. A method for treating erectile dysfunction comprising: applying an applicator with two or more electrodes to a penis, wherein one of said electrodes is located closer to a bulb of the penis and another of said electrodes is located closer to a distal end of the penis; applying RF current between two or more of said electrodes such that RF current flows between electrodes substantially along a penile surface and substantially no RF current flows to a urethra of the penis; and controlling said RF current to reach and maintain a desired tissue temperature on said penile surface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applicator is moved along the penis to create a uniform temperature distribution.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the desired tissue temperature is in a range of 40 C. to 50 C.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applicator has three parallel electrodes wherein a central electrode has one polarity while side electrodes have an opposite polarity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applicator is moved from a penis bulb to a penis head to heat an entire length of the penis.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said heating of the penile tissue improves local blood circulation and strengthens collagen of intima of the penis.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising heating the penis for 5 minutes or longer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor is embedded at least in one of the electrodes to control the tissue temperature.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein RF energy is controlled according to the tissue temperature measurements to maintain the desired tissue temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the accompanying drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of penis anatomy.

(3) FIG. 2 is an illustration of treatment area with attached applicator.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of RF applicator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Referring to FIG. 1, a penile structure comprises outer part with distal end 1. The corpora cavernosa 2, the corpus spongiosum 3 and the urethra 4 extend along the length of the penis outside and inside the human body. The bulb 5 of the penis is located deep inside the body in proximity to the skin surface near the scrotum.

(6) FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the patient in which an RF applicator 21 with multiple electrodes 22 has been applied to a treated surface 26. The applicator 21 is moved substantially along the penis axis from the head of penis 23 toward the perineum area 24 and back. The arrows 25 show a preferred direction of applicator movement. The applicator may be moved radially to heat all area of penis uniformly.

(7) FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the RF applicator 21. The applicator 21 may include a handle 31 and a treatment tip 35. The applicator may be connected to an RF generator 41 generating RF energy which is delivered to the applicator 21 via a cable 43. The treatment tip comprises three electrodes 32, 33, and 34. The central electrode 34 has one polarity while side electrodes 32 and 33 have opposite polarity. A thermal sensor may be embedded at least into the central electrode 34.

(8) Heating of the penile tissue improves local blood circulation and strengthens collagen of intima of the penis.

(9) Non-limiting parameters for the device of the invention are as follows:

(10) RF average power is in the range of 2 W up to 75 W.

(11) The RF frequency may be above 0.3 MHz and 5 MHz or higher for electrodes with capacitive coupling.

(12) The treatment time may be in the range of 5 min to 90 min.

(13) The distance between electrodes may be up to 10 mm.

(14) In contrast to the above-described embodiment, different shapes and structure of electrodes can be used.