A flexible, miniaturized, and focused microwave antenna system for medical applications

A flexible and miniaturized prototype microwave balloon angioplasty (MBA) catheter system has been developed for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The miniaturized antenna design is also suitable for applications involving localized hyperthermia for cancer treatment and microwave thermal ablation. The development program was sponsored by C.R. Bard, USCI division, Billerica, Massachusetts in collaboration with Dr. Robert Schwartz of the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Dr. Ronald E. Vlietstral.